Coupe de la Ligue: PSG Bounce Back with Win Over Saint-Étienne as Matuidi Defends Coach Blanc
Saint-Étienne, France — Paris Saint-Germain returned to winning ways on Tuesday evening, edging AS Saint-Étienne 1–0 in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue, following a difficult spell in Ligue 1 marked by a stunning 4–2 defeat to Bastia.
The result provided much-needed relief for the under-pressure French champions, who have faced increasing scrutiny over their recent performances. Midfielder Blaise Matuidi, speaking after the match, praised the team’s renewed spirit and was quick to defend head coach Laurent Blanc from criticism.
“We haven’t been giving the right image of Paris Saint-Germain lately,” Matuidi admitted. “And it’s us, the players especially, who hold the key. It’s all well and good to blame the coach. But the players are the ones on the pitch.”
The France international added: “We had to react, and that’s what we did tonight. We showed a completely different state of mind.”
The hard-fought win over Saint-Étienne keeps PSG’s hopes of domestic silverware alive as they aim to retain the Coupe de la Ligue title. The performance was particularly significant for the squad, with growing pressure from fans and media over recent lacklustre displays.
Coach Laurent Blanc has come under fire in recent weeks, with questions raised about his tactical approach and ability to motivate a star-studded squad. Matuidi’s remarks reflect a growing sense of responsibility within the dressing room as players look to take ownership of their performances.
PSG will now look to build on this momentum as they return to Ligue 1 action, where they remain in the hunt for the title despite a string of inconsistent results.
