PSG beat Chelsea 2-1 last night to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals 4-2 on aggregate. Di Maria and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were in fine form at Stamford Bridge while defeat meant Chelsea now have no realistic chance of participating in the Champions League next season.
Here is how various players and the two managers reacted after yesterday’s big Champions League match:
PSG’s Angel Di Maria was absolutely thrilled with his side’s display:
"We're very happy. It's a huge joy," Di Maria said, as quoted by UEFA.com.
"The work of one season has come to fruition. We demonstrated our talent.
"We controlled the game and the result is well deserved."
Former Chelsea defender David Luiz was very happy with the accomplished team effort shown by his PSG side.
"I think it was a collective victory because everybody knows to play here against Chelsea is always difficult," said the former Chelsea defender on BT Sport.
"Everybody was using their experience to keep calm. It was a difficult game for us. I think they played very, very well – especially in the first half."
"But we never change our philosophy. We like to play with the ball, with possession to create gaps to score."
PSG’s star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who is being linked with a move to the Premier League warned the remaining teams in the Champions League that the team from the French capital were not satisfied with the win against Chelsea.
Speaking to BT Sport, he said:
"We're not satisfied yet."
"I stayed more than 20 minutes on the pitch this year! We did a good game, very stable,
"Overall we played the way we wanted to. It was not easy, you have to watch out. Chelsea's front four are able to do anything. We are doing good things, where we end up we don't know. We are not satisfied yet."
PSG manager Laurent Blanc joked about Zlatan’s confidence saying:
"I don't think it's going to give him any more confidence. He has plenty of that as it is."
Eden Hazard swapped shirts with Di Maria at half time, a gesture which was not met well by the Chelsea fans and the Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink said that the supporters were right to boo him.
“They have the right to boo whatever they think,” said the interim manager.
“One always has the right to express what he is feeling.
“But he was having a bit of a problem with his injury on his hip. I’m aware of the shirt-swapping – it would be too easy for me just to say I haven’t seen it – and, yes, it should not be done.
“But in some countries it’s normal for people to do it. It’s in their culture. Maybe the players are both used to doing that.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Redknapp writing for Daily Mail was critical about Chelsea’s forward planning:
“When Costa went off injured, it spoke volumes about Chelsea’s transfer dealings that they brought on Bertrand Traore.”
