Paris: Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al Khelaifi says coach Unai Emery’s job is “200 per cent” secure despite the loss of their Ligue 1 crown and failure to make strides in Europe.
Al Khelaifi was speaking in the aftermath of PSG’s last gasp 1-0 win over Angers in the French Cup final on Saturday.
Unfortunate Issa Cissokho headed agonisingly into his own net in stoppage time at the Stade de France to give PSG a third consecutive French Cup win.
It joins the League Cup in the PSG trophy cabinet and provides some more consolation for the capital side after a season that will be best remembered for their failures elsewhere.
Emery’s side missed out on the league title to Monaco after winning Ligue 1 in each of the previous four campaigns and exited the Champions League in humiliating fashion to Barcelona in the last 16.
That 6-1 defeat at the Camp Nou — after they had won the first leg 4-0 at home — will be a lasting stain on PSG’s reputation and that of Emery.
But the Spaniard was given full backing by his employer, with Al Khelaifi declaring: “I’ve always said that (Emery) is staying.
“He is remaining 200 per cent for sure with us. We are happy with him, he is happy to be here.
“We are going to work together next season.”
He added: “It was very important for us to finish the last day of the season with a title.
“It wasn’t the best campaign for us, in truth. But even so we’ve got three titles this season. Of course we would have wanted more but that’s not bad.”
Emery said he was already thinking about next season.
“It was important to win today. Now we will look at everything we have to improve or to change to do better in the other competitions, Ligue 1 and the Champions League.”
Extra time loomed at France’s national stadium — where French President Emmanuel Macron was among the spectators — when Cissokho turned an Angel Di Maria corner past his own goalkeeper while under pressure from Blaise Matuidi at the near post.
It was a desperately harsh way for Angers to lose, as PSG ended a frustrating season by winning a third consecutive French Cup and a record 11th overall in the centenary edition of the tournament.
“Luck was on our side tonight,” conceded PSG defender Serge Aurier. “This title is even more important because everything hasn’t been rosy this season, but we were lucky to win titles.
“It goes in the trophy cabinet so it’s magnificent.”
It joins the League Cup in the PSG trophy cabinet and provides some more consolation for the capital side after a season that will be best remembered for their failures elsewhere.
Emery’s side missed out on the league title to Monaco after winning Ligue 1 in each of the previous four campaigns and exited the Champions League in humiliating fashion to Barcelona in the last 16.
