After Paris Saint-Germain’s crushing 0-3 defeat to Chelsea in the final, tempers flared at the MetLife Stadium. The boiling point came when PSG midfielder Joao Neves received a straight red card for grabbing Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella by the hair, followed by a scuffle involving Luis Enrique slapping Joao Pedro across the face, causing the Brazilian striker to fall. Center-back Presnel Kimpembe had to intervene, restraining Enrique from escalating the altercation further.
In the immediate aftermath and into the following morning, major French news outlets did not hold back in condemning the coach’s conduct. RMC Sport delivered a searing critique: This is a disgraceful and inexcusable act. Luis, who once praised Inter Milan for their composure after losing the Champions League final, now fails to extend the same grace to Chelsea.
L’Équipe was even more direct, writing that Enrique grabbed Pedro by the collar, and rather than de-escalating the situation, he “failed in his role as a leader.” The paper stated: If Enrique wanted to cool tensions, his duty was to pull back his own players, not attack an opponent. Le Parisien, though slightly more reserved, acknowledged Enrique’s visibly irritated demeanor before the confrontation. Yes, Joao Pedro may have exaggerated the contact, but it’s clear Enrique had already lost his temper. This defeat clearly overwhelmed his restraint, the outlet commented.
Radio broadcaster RFI voiced disappointment over PSG’s apparent decline in sportsmanship. In an article titled What Happened to Lucho?, the station reflected: Success seems to have made PSG forget the values of composure and sportsmanship they once embodied.
Enrique now faces a potential three-match ban for his actions. While he attempted to defend himself during the post-match press conference, citing provocation, public and media sentiment in France remains largely unforgiving. As PSG reflects on a bitter end to what could have been a historic quadruple season, the incident has cast a shadow over their achievements — and left fans and pundits alike questioning the leadership at the helm.
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