Paris Saint-Germain has full confidence in head coach Luis Enrique despite the French club being eliminated from the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in a disappointing evening in Paris on Tuesday.
PSG were eliminated from Europe’s premier competition in the semi-finals on Tuesday when a goal from Mats Hummels gave Dortmund a 1-0 win at the Parc de Princes and took them 2-0 on aggregate into the final at Wembley on June 1.
Enrique receives support to lead PSG in the post-Mbappé era
Despite the disappointing exit, Enrique will get the support he needs this summer to lead PSG into the post-Kylian Mbappe era.
PSG expect France international Mbappé to join Real Madrid as a free agent next month after refusing to extend his contract with the Ligue 1 champions by a year.
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Enrique has taken responsibility for his team’s elimination from the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund
Mbappe has not yet publicly confirmed his move to Madrid and remained enigmatic when asked if he had played his final European game for PSG following last night’s defeat.
“It would definitely have to be that way this season,” he said.
PSG resigned due to Mbappe’s departure
Kylian Mbappe is expected to leave PSG in the summer and join Real Madrid on a free transfer
PSG is happy with Mbappe’s departure and his departure marks the official end of the Galactico era, which saw the signing of players such as Brazilian Neymar and World Cup winner Lionel Messi.
Despite huge spending on players and wages, Champions League success has eluded them, although PSG insiders would say significant progress has been made on and off the pitch.
PSG have already won the French title this season and will play Lyon in the French Cup final on May 25.
Ousmane Dembele reacts during PSG’s defeat against Borussia Dortmund
Two summers ago, they launched a new strategy to build a squad of young, hungry and predominantly French players after the excesses of the Galactico era.
This season they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League with their youngest squad in Europe and started with the youngest team in the competition from the round of 16 onwards.
Off the pitch, PSG have moved to a new €300 million training ground and there are plans to move to a new stadium.
In December, US private equity firm Arctos Partners bought a 12.5% stake in PSG in a deal that valued the club at €4 billion.
A busy transfer window is expected at PSG | Osimhen arrives?
Victor Osimhen could be a target for PSG this summer
Mbappe’s impending departure is expected to lead to another busy transfer window.
PSG is one of the few clubs that could afford to trigger Napoli striker Victor Osimhen’s €120 million release clause.
Enrique will have money to spend this summer, but any new additions will need to fit into the club’s new culture.
Mbappe’s departure could lead to a busy summer in Paris
While PSG remained determined to win the Champions League, the loss of Mbappe, their best player, to 14-time winners Real Madrid will make that task even more difficult.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi says his new-look squad will be ready for action next season.
“We are proud to have the youngest team in Europe and have reached three semi-finals in five years,” he said.
“Of course that’s not our goal, so we have to keep working. It was bad luck to hit the woodwork four times. I’ve never seen this before, but it’s football. Congratulations to Dortmund.”
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