Manchester City left Paris with a 3-0 Champions League defeat, but Enzo Maresca believed the scoreline did not reflect his side’s response after a damaging two-minute spell handed Paris Saint-Germain control of the night.
The City coach said his team began well and were fully involved in the contest until PSG’s opening goal. A second Parisian strike soon followed, turning a difficult European away match into a far steeper task.
“We started well, but conceding twice so quickly created a bad feeling,” Maresca said after the game. “We were much better after the break and deserved more.”
Two quick PSG goals change the tie’s rhythm
Maresca pointed to the decisive sequence in which PSG scored twice in two minutes. Until the first goal, he felt Manchester City had competed strongly against Luis Enrique’s side, despite the scale of the challenge in Paris.
“Before the first goal, we were playing well and were in the game,” he said. “It was already very difficult, and when you concede two goals in two minutes, everything becomes worse.”
PSG eventually established a 3-0 lead, but City continued to create opportunities. Maresca maintained that his players had produced enough, particularly in the second half, to take more from the match.
Second-half changes bring a City response
The Italian said the interval adjustments improved City both without the ball and in possession, while preserving the team’s balance. Their pressing became more effective and their play on the ball gave them greater control, even as they chased a game that had moved sharply against them.
“Even at 3-0 down, with the number of chances we made, we deserved more,” Maresca said.
He also revealed that Luis Enrique had acknowledged PSG’s good fortune at the final whistle. Maresca said the Paris coach had been candid in his assessment, telling him that PSG had enjoyed considerable luck on the night.
