PSG falters at home as Bayern extend European dream; Enrique vows rebound with a calmer plan and a dash of humor

Match Recap and Enrique's Take

Spanish coach Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain's manager, spoke after the painful 1-2 defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday in the Champions League group stage. His team showed intent but faltered at critical moments, leaving Munich with the win.

The Bavarian giants extended their European run to 16 consecutive wins across all competitions, while PSG tasted their first setback in this season's European title defense. PSG's Champions League winning streak ended at three, and the match brought unwelcome news with injuries to stars Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembélé, and Nuno Mendes.

Controversy surrounded a harsh challenge on Hakimi by Colombian Luis Díaz, which earned a straight red. Enrique did not lay the blame on the attacker, telling the French newspaper L'Équipe that football is a contact sport and what happened to Hakimi was painful but part of the game. He added it reminded him of Jamal Musiala's injury against PSG in the Club World Cup this summer, noting luck plays a big role in such moments.

“Of course Bayern Munich were superior,” he said. “They created many chances and we allowed it. It’s natural to lose when the opponent is better and could have scored more.”

In the second half, PSG created more chances and capitalized on the numerical disadvantage after Diaz's red, and a draw might have been possible had opportunities fallen differently.

“We are not in our best physical shape,” he admitted. Asked why Bayern deserved the win, he replied that he couldn’t remember the last time his team was so below par physically this season, but he remained calm and confident of bouncing back. “I am not making excuses; the opponent was better, and we must prepare our players for the weeks ahead.”

Enrique also said that if chances are wasted in a game this big, a result like this can happen; the absences of injured players were a factor and will be addressed, with experience guiding better performances in the future. “Let us assess Bayern in February or March to determine if they’re Europe’s best; I cannot explain the gifts and errors in this match, but Bayern had chances to lead by three or four in the first half.”

“We lacked luck or finishing to level,” he concluded, before turning attention to the next game and the hope of a full-strength squad returning from injury.

Domestic dominance remains intact despite European setback PSG’s league campaign stays solid. They have played 10 Ligue 1 matches: seven wins, two draws, and one loss to Marseille in the Classique, a match postponed a day due to bad weather and played alongside the Ballon d’Or ceremony. PSG began with wins over Nantes and Angers (1-0), then hammered Toulouse (6-3), and beat Lens and Auxerre (2-0 each).

After the October international break, they drew Lille (1-1) away, then Strasbourg (3-3) at the Parc des Princes, briefly slipping from the top before reclaiming it with a Brest win and a Lorient draw, and finally a narrow win over Nice to maintain their pursuit of a fifth consecutive league title.

European dominance before Munich night On the continental scene, PSG opened the season by lifting the European Super Cup after beating Tottenham Hotspur on penalties following a 2-2 draw. In the Champions League, they started with a perfect run in the first three group games: a 4-0 win over Atalanta in Paris, a 2-1 victory over Barcelona in Montjuïc, and a 7-2 drubbing of Leverkusen in Germany, before the defeat to Bayern interrupted the streak.

Despite the European setback, many still view PSG as major contenders, especially with the return of injured players and a coach with experience who can restore discipline and confidence to the squad.