Calm Mastery Over Barcelona: Enrique Edges Barca as Ramos Delivers Late PSG Triumph
2 octobre 2025
Enrique's Calm Edge, Flick's Price to Pay
Luis Enrique, the Paris Saint‑Germain coach, showed why some label him among the world’s best by keeping his team poised in a high-stakes clash against Hansi Flick’s Barcelona.
He celebrated a win on Barcelona’s home turf for the second time in a row, having previously defeated Xavi Hernandez 4-1 in last season’s quarterfinal second leg.
The Spanish tactician outsmarted Flick in a battle of strategies, turning a one-goal deficit into a dramatic 2-1 victory, and proving superior in technical, physical, and mental aspects.
Second Half Shifts the Balance
With several attackers sidelined, Enrique trusted a frontline built around a trio of youngsters as Warren Zaïre‑Emery returned to action and youth parameters were favored in attack.
Barcelona began the game with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in midfield, Dani Olmo providing support in attack, Lamine Yamal on the right, Marcus Rashford on the left behind striker Ferran Torres, and Ferran Torres himself finishing the chances when given space.
Barcelona looked sharper in the first half thanks to their high-intensity pressing, testing PSG’s rearguard and making life difficult for the PSG full-backs as Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes faced relentless pressure, with Lucas Chevalier keeping it tight at the back.
Even after Barca took the lead through Ferran Torres, Enrique stayed calm and urged his players to maintain the game plan and keep short passes from the back to build from the defense.
One scene saw Nuno Mendes clear inside his own box, provoking a reaction from the PSG bench but also a reminder to stay patient and avoid reckless clearance as they rebuilt from the back.
The resilience of PSG paid off as a rare burst from Nuno Mendes helped create the equalizer for a young PSG forward, keeping the tie alive and intensifying the visitors’ belief.
In the second half, Flick gambled again with a high defensive line, but failed to adapt to PSG’s pace on the counter and left space for the Paris side to exploit on the break.
The second-half narrative shifted as Barcelona’s “second line” struggled to sustain pressure; the absence of some key attackers and changes in midfield disrupted Barca’s rhythm and balance.
PSG’s substitutes—the entering Kang-In Lee and Gonçalo Ramos—added fresh energy and brought matters to a decisive close when Ramos struck the late winner after a quick buildup from the bench, sealing a memorable Parisian night away from home.
PSG’s win reinforced the narrative of a bench who can change the course of a match, especially on nights when calm, methodical football beats frenetic, edge-of-seat pressure.
Punchline 1: If calm were a flavor, Enrique’s coaching would be a refreshing mint—cold enough to cool a fiery Barca, warm enough to melt the tension on the touchline. Punchline 2: Flick’s stubbornness is so well-seasoned it could have its own VAR—Very Alarmingly Recalcitrant.
