‘We Were the Better Team’: PSG Chief Laments After Painful Champions League Defeat to Dortmund

‘We Were the Better Team’: PSG Chief Laments After Painful Champions League Defeat to Dortmund

Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
May 8, 2024 at 7:25 AM
In this article:
Paris Saint Germain (PSG) logo
PSG
France
32
Borussia Dortmund logo
Borussia Dortmund
Germany
29
UEFA Champions League logo
UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League logo
UEFA UCL
Europe
Kylian Mbappé logo
K.Mbappé
Real Madrid logoFFrance logo
Mats Hummels logo
M. Hummels
Borussia Dortmund logoDGermany logo
Niclas Füllkrug logo
N. Füllkrug
Borussia Dortmund logoFGermany logo
  • Nasser Al-Khelaifi insists PSG should have reached this year's UCL final
  • His team were dumped out of the competition by Dortmund on Tuesday
  • The Ligue 1 side created plenty of scoring chances but fluffed their lines

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Paris Saint-Germain president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, remains adamant that his side should have secured a spot in this year's UEFA Champions League final after their exit on Tuesday, May 7.

PSG entered the semi-finals as the clear favourites to advance to their second-ever European final.

PSG, president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Borussia Dortmund, final, Champions League, chances, deserve.
PSG player and coach, Luis Enrique, look dejected after crashing out of the Champions League on Tuesday, May 7. Photo by Christian Liewig - Corbis.
Source: Getty Images

Dortmund punish wasteful PSG

However, Borussia Dortmund's determined and disciplined performance ensured that the Parisians' Champions League aspirations were shattered.

A solitary goal from Niclas Fullkrug in the first leg left the French champions facing a 1-0 deficit, compelling them to overturn the scoreline at the Parc des Princes in the return fixture.

Despite numerous attempts on goal and featuring a formidable attacking lineup led by Kylian Mbappe, PSG faltered at home.

Mats Hummels' second-half header sealed a 2-0 aggregate victory for the Bundesliga side.

Profligacy or ill luck? PSG's bane against Dortmund

Opta Statistics reveal that PSG launched a staggering 30 shots on goal but failed to find the back of the net against their German opponents.

This inability to convert chances helped PSG set an unwanted record as the team with the most shots without scoring in a Champions League match in at least twenty years.

Furthermore, Luis Enrique's men hit the woodwork four times throughout the tie, setting a new record for a Champions League knockout fixture, per GOAL.

PSG president laments after UCL exit

Reflecting on PSG's painful exit from Europe, President Al-Khelaifi lamented the missed opportunities that ultimately led to their downfall.

“We are very disappointed and sad about the result. I think we deserve better. In total, we hit the post on four occasions tonight and twice last week—the ball didn’t want to go in. It’s difficult,” he told Canal Plus, as cited by GFFN.

Despite congratulating Dortmund, he stressed his side was the better of the two sides and deserved a spot in the final.

“We wanted to win, but congratulations to Dortmund. We really thought we could get to the final.
"We were the better team. I am proud of our team, which is the youngest in Europe. It’s the third time in five years that we’ve made the semi-finals. Of course, this wasn’t our objective, but it’s football – sometimes it isn’t fair.”

Mbappe takes blame for PSG's exit

In a previous publication, Sports Brief covered Mbappe's acknowledgment of PSG's exit from the Champions League on May 7.

Despite his efforts across both legs of the semi-final, the German team successfully nullified Mbappe's scoring opportunities, securing their spot in the final with a 2-0 aggregate.

Authors
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe photo
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe is a Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and La Liga editor with five-year experience. He previously worked with Sports Corna and 360SportsGH.
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