Ivan Juric: Only execution is possible against PSG
Juric, admitted that the difference between his team and the defending champions PSG was heaven and earth at the start of the Champions League regular season.
Ivan Juric, the head coach of Atalanta, admitted that the difference between his team and the defending champions PSG was heaven and earth at the start of the Champions League regular season, while the Parisians' manager Luis Enrique stressed the importance of a good start after the suffering of the previous season in the autumn.
It is not always like this, but this time the result was in line with the performance shown: the 2025 Champions League winners PSG “beat” the 2024 Europa League leaders Atalanta (4–0). In addition to the number of goals, it is also telling that the Parisian team had more than three times as many shots on goal (22 vs. seven), six times as many corners (six vs. one), led 53 attacks compared to the Bergamo team's 19, and passed 652 times compared to the Italians' 282 passes.
Ivan Juric's Atalanta are not yet in any way reminiscent of Gian Piero Gasperini's former team. The Croatian coach has been heavily criticised by the Italian press for choosing to play with an open helmet at the home of the defending champions instead of settling for a defensive approach.
"There is no good way to fight against PSG, you can only choose the way to execute," Ivan Juric defended himself to Sky Sports Italia. "It wouldn't have helped if we had focused on defence, there is a huge gap between the two teams. After the first goal we reacted well for 25 minutes, then we conceded the second at the worst possible moment. It is clear that Paris Saint-Germain are on a completely different level."
However, PSG's Spanish coach Luis Enrique stressed that the 4-0 victory over Atalanta should not be taken for granted.
“It was important that we scored in the third minute,” he said at the press conference. “This start reflects our style of football, but we were able to beat a very good, strong and technical Atalanta, who could have caused us a lot of problems, but we are in good shape and we deserved this victory. Last year we had a hard time getting going, and for a long time we were in danger of reaching the knockout stage. We were all aware of the importance of a strong start this time.”
MVP Khvica Kvarackheliá
UEFA chose Kvicsa Kvaracheliá, who scored the second goal in Paris, as the man of the match, and the European association’s technical committee praised him as follows: “He performed brilliantly in individual duels, his goal was a great individual performance. He created many chances, and with his dribbling skills he was a constant threat.”
"The game went great, but obviously the most important thing was that the team won," the Georgian forward told UEFA's website. "We did great, it was good to play a Champions League game again."
Manos Staramopoulos
Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs
Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com
Athens (Greece)
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