"Protect our manager."
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a 0-3 defeat against Chelsea of the English Premier League in the final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on the 14th (Korean time). Consequently, PSG's unprecedented challenge for five trophies has come to an end.
This season, PSG has dominated the European stage by successively winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the Trophée des Champions, and the UEFA Champions League. However, they fell apart helplessly on the final stage, failing to achieve a perfect season at the last hurdle.
The issue arose after the match. In a situation where an altercation between players sparked a conflict, manager Luis Enrique lost control himself. PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Chelsea's João Pedro (24) were engaged in a heated exchange, and when Achraf Hakimi intervened, tensions escalated. At that moment, manager Enrique rushed onto the field, and footage captured him shoving Presnel Kimpembe aside and striking Pedro in the neck area.
According to the Spanish media outlet 'Marca', after the match, manager Enrique expressed regret in a conversation with internal coaching staff, saying, "I was foolish. (Pedro) pushed me while remaining quiet, and when I touched him, he deliberately fell down," which was captured by 'DAZN' broadcasting cameras.
FIFA has consistently applied strict standards for acts of violence, regardless of whether they occur after the match. Locally, there is speculation that disciplinary action may be taken against manager Enrique. Particularly, since the moment Pedro fell was clearly captured, analyses suggest that further action is unavoidable.
Meanwhile, amid ongoing controversy over manager Luis Enrique's outburst after the match, attention is focused on what measures FIFA will take. It remains uncertain whether official sanctions such as punishment or fines will be imposed, or if the matter will be passed without significant repercussions. Some have raised the possibility of a prolonged absence.
However, PSG's Nasser Al-Khelaifi actively defended manager Enrique, stating, "He only intervened to stop the fight," and added, "Why are we placing all the blame on the manager? Managers are people who need protection on the field as well. Enrique did nothing wrong."
Meanwhile, amid ongoing controversy over Enrique's outburst, attention is focused on what measures FIFA will take. It remains uncertain whether official sanctions such as punishment or fines will be imposed, or if the matter will be passed without significant repercussions.
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