PSG coach on hard-fought win over Girona: ‘Worse than giving birth’

“I suffered a lot,” says Luis Enrique after late triumph in Champions League opener thanks to Gazzaniga’s mistake

Coach Luis Enrique compared Paris Saint-Germain’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Girona in their Champions League opener to a birth . PSG left the Parc des Princes with all three points on Wednesday thanks to Gazzaniga’s mistake, who conceded a goal through the legs from a shot by Nuno Mendes in the 89th minute.

– What it cost us (to win)… I spoke to Michel (Girona coach) at the end of the game: it was worse than giving birth, with all due respect. I suffered a lot. Overall, we were superior to Girona, but they showed moments in the first half that left us dizzy. We were lucky to score in the last minute – declared the Spanish coach.

PSG made too many mistakes in their finishing and almost drew with Girona, who were playing their first Champions League game in history. The French team had 24 shots, but only five were on target. The goal at the end of the match came from an individual play by Nuno Mendes, who left Arnau Martínez behind in the race and took a shot from a poor angle. Gazzanigga tried to block it, but was thwarted.

PSG have a tough schedule in the new phase of the Champions League and have become the target of jokes during the draw for the games . Their next opponent is Arsenal, in London, on October 1st. The team will also face PSV, Atlético de Madrid, Bayern Munich, RB Salzburg, Manchester City and Stuttgart.