Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has acknowledged that his side lacked intensity in the second half of their FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 encounter against Inter Miami on Sunday. The Spanish tactician oversaw a dominant 4-0 triumph for PSG over their Major League Soccer (MLS) opponents, Inter Miami, in the knockout clash. The result ensured a comfortable passage into the next round for the Ligue 1 giants. PSG took charge of the match with two goals netted by Joao Neves, while an own goal credited to Tomas Aviles, and a strike from Achraf Hakimi, sealed the commanding victory. These efforts left Inter Miami unable to respond, as the French side displayed their superior quality and control throughout the first half. After the game, Enrique addressed reporters during his post-match interview. While he expressed satisfaction with the overall performance and outcome of the contest, he was quick to highlight that his players appeared to drop their energy levels after halftime. “We showed less energy in the second half, but I am happy,” Enrique remarked, reflecting on what he perceived as a slightly subdued effort following their explosive opening. With this win, PSG are now set to meet the winner between Flamengo and Bayern Munich in the quarter-final fixture scheduled for Saturday. That clash will determine PSG’s next opponent on their Club World Cup journey. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich and Flamengo are expected to battle it out on Sunday evening in their own last-16 contest, with the winner advancing to face the Parisian club. Enrique and his team will be hoping to maintain their momentum and address the second-half energy issue as they continue to chase Club World Cup glory.
Atletico Madrid head coach, Diego Simeone, has shared his thoughts on why his team failed to progress in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 despite a notable performance. On Monday, Atletico Madrid secured a 1-0 victory over Botafogo in their final Group B fixture. Although the Spanish side finished the group stage with six points, it wasn’t enough to move forward into the Round of 16 — as they were edged out based on goal difference. Paris Saint-Germain and Botafogo both advanced to the knockout stage, having topped Group B with superior goal statistics despite also gathering six points. During his post-match interview, Simeone reflected on the challenges his team faced. He hinted that Group B may have been the toughest bracket in the competition, considering the pedigree of the participating clubs. “Some may say we were eliminated, but this was the most challenging group. We are out due to goal difference,” the Argentine tactician stated. Simeone emphasized that Atletico Madrid is accustomed to facing top-tier opponents, citing regular domestic battles with Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as consistent participation in the UEFA Champions League. He concluded, “We were drawn with the reigning Champions League and Libertadores winners. We earned the same points as them. So, we are calm. We understand the areas we must improve on.”
