Luis Enrique warned that PSG will be a lot "stronger" in the Champions League knockout stages despite barely scraping out of the group on Wednesday.
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PSG drew with Dortmund to qualify for last 16Have struggled to win in EuropeEnrique insisted situation will change in FebruaryWHAT HAPPENED?
The reigning Ligue 1 champions secured their place in the knockout stages with a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund, finishing second in the group. Despite a mixed performance in the group stages, including draws and defeats to Newcastle United and AC Milan, Enrique remains positive about PSG's prospects in the tournament.
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Speaking to reporters after the match, Enrique said: "I am very happy because, throughout these six matches, we have shown a clear idea […] We have always been attacking and we have always created more chances than our opponents. This summer, there were 11 signings, new staff, and a new campus – everything is new. I have absolutely no doubt that in February, we’ll be a lot stronger."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
A fortuitous penalty against Newcastle United on matchday five allowed PSG to come away with a point, which in hindsight has become crucial to their qualification. Against Dortmund, they lacked the cutting edge in attack and had to rely on the heroics of Warren Zaire-Emery to come out unscathed from Signal Iduna Park.
"We suffered like everyone else and at the same time we enjoyed it when we attacked," he said. "I'm very old, I have a lot of experience and I'm trying to instil confidence in the players and think about continuing to improve, nothing more. Qualifying is very important. It's very important because I think that to continue our progress, we need calm. In our case, in February, we'll be playing against a top team in the group, but we're looking forward to it."
DID YOU KNOW?
PSG have been knocked out of the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage for two consecutive years, by Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively.