This time, the scenario of a comeback for Brest was not repeated.
Luis Enrique's Parisians qualified for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France by defeating devious Bretons (3-1).
A team which caught the eye of Luis Enrique, who complimented them amply in a press conference after the match, while definitive news of Kylian Mbappé's left ankle is still awaited.
Do you have any news from Kylian Mbappé?
LUIS ENRIQUE.
No… the truth is that I have no news.
The doctors are going to do tests tomorrow, he took a big blow to his ankle.
He was able to finish the match, so I don't think it will be very serious.
This is the news I have.
Did you like this qualification, as well as what your team offered against Brest?
The first thing is I would like to congratulate the Brest coach and his team for the way they played against us these two games.
We won't play them anymore, that's good news!
They are very strong in aerial balls, on set pieces, in pressing… It is a very dangerous cocktail.
I think we played a very complete match.
We could have gone to half-time with more than two goals in hand, we could have folded the match several times and we didn't do it.
The difference between this match and the one ten days ago is that the fourth goal at 2-1 was scored by PSG…
Every match is going to be different.
Our defensive attitude improved a lot, we pressed better and more.
We scored again by pressing high, we were in this defensive withdrawal less times, and we were inspired in the offensive creation.
But I repeat, Brest is one of the best teams with the best playing dynamics in France, if not in Europe.
“The only thing missing is that I have the chance to choose the types of goals”
The last goal, very collective, is this what you want to develop in terms of game plan?
The only thing I would miss is that I have the chance to choose the types of goals!
(laughs) I love them all, any type.
Do you know why we score goals in transition, with few touches of the ball?
(he waits for the journalist's response) Because the opponent presses high, leaves space behind him, and we manage to beat the opposing pressure and we manage to score with fast attackers.
When the opponents lock themselves in their area, we will score more collective goals, like this one.
I like to be in control.
But if the opponent presses high and we manage to beat the pressure, we have to score.
The objective is for your team to master these phases of pressing as well as possession?
That's it, exactly.
I want my team to press high, and we scored in those situations, but if we have to defend low, then let's defend low!
If you have to score when the opponent is defending very low, then you have to elaborate more.
Dominating all registers is what it means to be a team.
No team knows what to attack or what to defend.
We have seen high quality collective actions in these last matches, is this what you are aiming to reproduce on a more regular basis in the seasons to come?
I shouldn't wait until next season, no, that's been my goal since day one: to improve my players, and coordinate them coherently and efficiently.
In attack and defense.
Because matches against good teams aren't just about attacking, it's also about defending.
That's the objective.
Even if it's impossible, we won't stop trying.