Two matches, two wins and a ticket to the semi-finals... thank you ATL! Having booked their place in the last four of the competition in front of more than 66,937 spectators at the home of Atlanta United FC (football) and the Falcons (American football), as well as the PSG Supporters Club Atlanta, Les Rouge et Bleu returned to their hotel with a real sense of achievement.
"These matches are won on small details. Despite the difficulties, we showed the character to win."
"It was a very difficult match, and it's always difficult to play against a great team like Bayern Munich," Luis Enrique told PSG TV afterwards. "If I think about the last part of the game, when we went one man down and then two, it was very difficult. I think it was a close game - we already knew before the match that it would be difficult - so we're happy."
"They were a very difficult opponent," added Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, who was once again everywhere against the Bavarians. "These matches are won on small details. Despite the difficulties, we showed the character to win. We went out and got this win and that's the most important thing. Before we left the dressing room, we told ourselves that the physical and mental aspects would be very important. We've got the quality because we've worked hard. But mentality is the most important thing at this stage of the season, and we showed character after the two red cards."
"We deserve to be here. I hope we can continue to improve and reach another final. That's our aim."
What's next for the Parisian delegation? Breakfast at the hotel in Atlanta, a final training session at the Fifth First Stadium annex at Kennesaw State University, a photo and autograph session with the fans in front of the Georgia base camp, lunch, a 2-hour flight and arrival in New York late that evening. The focus now shifts to the semi-finals and the clash with Real Madrid, who booked their place in the final four by after topping Group H with two wins and a draw, followed by a 1-0 win over Juventus in the Round of 16 and a 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals on Saturday 5 July, a few hours after the Parisian victory at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - which is where the two European giants will clash in the semis.
"We need to recover and think about the semi-final," said the Parisian coach. "In this very long season, to have arrived here with this mentality at every training session and every match... I think we deserve to be here. I also think our fans deserve to see this. I hope we continue to improve and can play in another final, that's our goal."
