Enrique: "I Understand Accepting What Happened Is Difficult, But Diaz Is Not a Bad Person and Is Going Through a Difficult Moment"

Paris Saint-Germain coach, Luis Enrique, defended Moroccan international Brahim Diaz following his missed penalty in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal.

During a press conference held today ahead of the match against Sporting Lisbon, Luis Enrique affirmed that what happened to Diaz is part of football. He emphasized the need for calm, respect for sporting values, and not to overburden the player, especially during such difficult moments.

The Paris Saint-Germain coach stated: "Today we talked about this topic on the bus. Everyone is talking about Brahim, but I remember Zidane, Zidane who is a football legend, and he did that in a World Cup final. I also remember Sergio Ramos doing the same thing."

Luis Enrique added: "If you score a 'Panenka' penalty, everyone applauds you, but if you miss it, there are a lot of bad comments."

He continued: "Brahim Diaz is a great player, I know him very well, and I called him up for the Spanish national team for a match. He is an exceptional player and a very good person."

He concluded: "I understand that accepting what happened is difficult, it was strange, but it's just sport, nothing more. In sport, you must show that you are capable of winning, and that you are also capable of losing. Whether you win or lose, nothing serious happens, it's just sport."

He finished by saying: "The most important thing is the values you can show people. Brahim is not a criminal or a bad person, and it's important to say that. He is a young player, and he is going through a difficult moment."

It is worth noting that the Moroccan national team missed the opportunity to win the Africa Cup of Nations title after losing to Senegal by a goal to nil in the final.