After the elimination of PSG against Manchester City in the semi-finals of the Champions League, many players came to express their feelings in front of the camera of RMC Sport.
Marquinhos, captain of PSG
. “We tried to give everything. I think we started well, we started the match well with very, very high pressure. But we know that this kind of match has to be paid for in the details. They held on, they were able to defend well, we did not take advantage of our actions. They attack once and they score, this goal puts us in difficulty again. Then, in the second period, once again we try to push forward, to do a pressing. On small details, we take a second goal that really kills us… Now we have to think of things that we will really improve, we saw the things that made the difference last season, the small details were decisive for the good moment, this season we stop in half. As we always say, it's the little details that really make the difference. "
Ander Herrera, Parisian midfielder.
“I think we were the best team for 70 minutes. We tried everything. We created problems for a team that is playing very well. We can leave with our heads held high. We're sad, of course. But it's not easy to be a finalist last year and in the semi-finals this year… We had a lot of chances, balls between the lines. There are always areas for improvement. But it's not easy to be in the top 4 again. We still have two titles to go for. We have to win everything. These are only finals. We always talk about respect with the referees. He said “fuck off” to Leandro Paredes. If we say that, we have a suspension of 4 or 5 games "
14 shots
0 on target
🙄 PSG's offensive stats against Man.
City are overwhelming.
📊 This is the first time that Paris has not scored a single strike in a Champions League match under the QSI era.
pic.twitter.com/ayrseU9rIv
- RMC Sport (@RMCsport) May 4, 2021
Marco Verratti, Parisian midfielder
. “There is a lot of disappointment. We wanted to go to the final, we believed in it a lot, until the red card
(Editor's note: from Di Maria to the 69th)
we were in the game. We created a lot of chances but when we play against big teams nothing is easy. We fought to the end, this is the second year that we have finished among the four best teams in Europe. We wanted to go to the final, we did not succeed, it's football. We played with a lot of personality, in the first period City did not strike a shot except on their goal. Against Bayern (
in the quarter-finals
) we were very lucky, this time it was not the case. But we must continue to believe in it for the future. We gave everything. City is a great team that deserves to pass. We promise, we will do everything to return to the final and win it. "
Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City striker
.
“I think this qualification is deserved, over the two games we deserve to pass.
We knew how to be efficient at the right times.
Tonight, we were average in the first but we were able to raise our level in the second, we could probably have scored 3 or 4 goals.
Afterwards they lost their nerves.
But I repeat it is deserved.
My best season?
I don't know, it's true that scoring in big games, in big moments, is what we want, what we dream of when we are young.
I scored 3 goals in the two semi-final games, that's good, but above all we were able to be efficient.
We deserve to pass.
"
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach.
“It was a close game, Paris has a lot of good players between the lines. It's good for us that Mbappé did not play because with him they are unstoppable, we saw it against Barcelona. We suffered a lot in the first but in the second our pressing was better. We defended very well in the last 30 meters. In the first leg we say that Pep is a genius because Mahrez puts the ball between two hips, this competition is like that. How many times we could lose in the last minutes, this time the coin fell on the right side, we are in the final. It's great. To be in the final is an incredible source of pride for our supporters, for the players, for many this final will be a first. For me the most important thing is to be regular, constant. We qualify for this competition every year. "
