The Paris Saint-Germain faced humiliation and suffered a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle in the Champions League. The result was not only a disappointment for PSG but also a result of Luis Enrique’s incomprehensible tactical decision. The team started the match with an unexpected 4-2-4 formation, featuring Randal Kolo Muani, Gonçalo Ramos, Ousmane Dembélé, and Kylian Mbappé in the attacking quartet. However, this strategy proved catastrophic on the field.
In the first half, PSG struggled to create any dangerous opportunities, with the midfield duo of Ugarte and Zaïre-Emery being overrun. The defense panicked under Newcastle’s intense pressing and struggled to play the ball out from the back, exemplified by the first goal conceded due to a poor clearance by Marquinhos.
Unsurprisingly, after such a heavy defeat in the Champions League, Luis Enrique was heavily criticized by the press. The 53-year-old Spanish coach was deemed the main culprit for PSG’s terrible loss and was particularly lambasted by Daniel Riolo on RMC Sport. Riolo questioned Enrique’s tactical choices and advised him to learn from others instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.
“Who plays like this in Europe? Who uses this formation in the Champions League? Nobody! It’s nonsense…but he thinks he’s a genius. When you’re not a genius, you look at what others are doing. Has anyone else tried this? No! I’m not going to be the only genius doing something that no one else does! Not only does he insist on using this system, which is clearly failing in midfield, but when he has the chance to make adjustments, he shows us that he won’t change. And he tells us all to go to hell, saying ‘Hey guys, I’m right because I’m a genius.’ I can’t stand these so-called misunderstood geniuses,” said Daniel Riolo, expressing his frustration with the Spanish coach of PSG, which is led by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.
