LONDON: Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique said he did not know how long it would take his team to bounce back in European competition after losing 2-0 to Arsenal in the Champions League at the Emirates.
The French champions, who lost their prolific striker Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid last summer, lost for the first time this season.
Goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka netted for Mikel Arteta’s side, and PSG saw both of their efforts hit the post.
Enrique, who dropped striker Ousmane Dembele due to a disciplinary problem, accepted responsibility for the defeat but questioned the fighting spirit of his men in London.
“Today we performed below the level required for a game like this. Arsenal were much better in terms of pressure, intensity, they won every fight.
“It’s impossible to get positive results when you don’t win every battle on the pitch, their defense pressures our strikers and our defense doesn’t do the same to their strikers. Arsenal are better,” Enrique said.
The Spanish operator took PSG to the semi-finals of the Champions League last season after they beat his former club Barcelona in the quarter-finals with Mbappe scoring twice and Dembele also finding the target.
Dembele is considered Mbappe’s replacement in PSG’s attack this season, but Enrique’s decision to drop the player ahead of the trip to the Emirates raises questions.
The 27-year-old was punished by Enrique after he showed his displeasure at being sent off in Friday’s win over Rennes.