This is called an action response. Absent from Luis Enrique’s starting lineup, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia silenced all his detractors on Wednesday evening at the Parc des Princes in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against Chelsea. Not necessarily in good spirits in recent weeks in Ligue 1, notably during the defeat (1-3) against AS Monaco last Friday, the Georgian started on the bench. Luis Enrique made this strong choice by preferring DĂ©sirĂ© DouĂ©, who failed to influence the match and took advantage of this opportunity. It is with this in mind that the entry of Kvaratskhelia in the 62nd minute completely turned the Parisian encounter on its head. From his first moments on the pitch, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia imprinted his speed, his technique and his creativity on the Parisian game. Enough to wake up the troops of the Spanish coach.
“We are always ready, whether starting or replacing. The coach insists a lot on this. Today, our substitutes really made the difference so that’s very good», underlined Bradley Barcola in the mixed zone. Having barely entered, Kvara was already in the oven and at the mill with a first decisive contribution occurring in the 74th minute, when he delivered a precise pass for Vitinha, who managed to brilliantly conclude with a masterful lob above Jorgensen to restore the advantage to PSG. This gesture allowed the Ile-de-France club to take the psychological advantage after Chelsea’s equalizer and served as a reminder that the Georgian striker could make the difference in major European events, where his criticisms had been the harshest in the league. “It’s always a little difficult when you come into the game from the bench, but I just try to do my job and I think I played very well today. However, we still have a long way to go, so I’m focusing on the next match“, explained Kvara to PSG TV. And the end of the meeting was a real festival for Kvaratskhelia.
A replacement who sends a message
In the 86th minute, he concluded a collective action with a clear strike and, at the very end of the match (90th + 4), the number 7 of PSG signed his personal double, transforming a balanced match into a resounding success (5-2) for PSG. After the meeting, the former Dinamo Batoumi nugget displayed great serenity and newfound confidence. He praised the importance of this victory against Chelsea and recalled that work remained to be done to validate the qualification. “I’m happy to have helped my team and to have won against Chelsea who are a good team. I am happy with this match. We remain PSG, I think we showed this evening that we are capable of anything. We just have to continue like this, we conceded two goals, we have to analyze the mistakes we made. We are happy to win with three more goals. Now we will focus on the next match.”analyzed the native of Tbilisi. A spectacular performance which symbolizes a resounding response to criticism, but also the collective strength of Paris Saint-Germain at the start of the final phases.
In less than 30 minutes, the man nicknamed Kvaradona in Italy scored two goals and delivered an assist, logically being named man of the match by UEFA. His performance not only illustrated his talent, but also his ability to respond to the criticism accumulated in Ligue 1 against opponents considered less demanding. Moreover, with his double and his assist as a substitute, Kvaratskhelia is involved in more goals in 19 Champions League matches (15) than in 35 Ligue 1 matches (14). What makes Luis Enrique regret having opted for this attacking trio without the Georgian international? Far from it. “Any regrets about putting Kvara on the bench? No. What we are looking for is the best solution for players. If we had to start the match again now, I would do the same thing», Said Luis Enrique at a press conference, teasing and smiling in front of the audience of journalists present. In any case, the former darling of Napoli recalled his offensive and technical talent, essential for big European evenings.
