Kingsley Coman offered some sympathy to his hometown club after scoring the goal that gave Bayern Munich a 1-0 win over Paris St Germain and a sixth European title.
Coman, who was born in Paris and came through the PSG academy, headed in the only goal in the 59th minute as Bayern made it 11 wins out of 11 in the Champions League this season to complete a treble for the German giants.
Speaking to RMC Sport, Coman said: “It’s extraordinary, it’s great happiness. But there is a little sadness for Paris. They have had an extraordinary journey, we must respect what Paris has done.
“We tried to put them under a lot of pressure. They played on the counter-attack. We didn’t concede a goal, that’s the most important thing. Paris had a great game, so did we. It was a great final.”
Former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry, speaking on BT Sport, said: “Of course winning the trophy today is the best thing that could happen. We all worked incredibly hard and the spirit we have talked about has come through and we’re the best team in Europe.
“Paris came out wanting to win and we came out wanting to win. It was a difficult game. No one gave up easy but in the end we came through and that’s what matters.”
Kingsley Coman netted the winner for Bayern (Manu Fernandez/AP)
Bayern manager Hans-Dieter Flick said he had “not set a deadline for when the party has to stop” after a stunning first season in charge.
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“Back in November you could read in the press that no-one should’ve been afraid of Bayern, that they shouldn’t have respected Bayern, because it was such a bad side. So I think we really have produced sensational progress since then,” he said.
“I really think we deserved it tonight, based on what the team have produced over the last 10 months, particularly all season long in the Champions League. It’s been incredible.
“We really are proud of the whole staff. The way that we play football, the way that we go out there as a team, we really make life difficult for the opposition.
“It was a very high tempo, high octane match. There were chances at both ends, and we really have the best goalkeeper in the world in Manuel Neuer.”
Alphonso Davies, Bayern’s 19-year-old left-back, became a European champion in only his eighth appearance in the competition.
It continued a remarkable journey for a player born in a refugee camp in Ghana and raised in Canada before joining Bayern last year.
“It feels really good,” he said on BT Sport. “It’s everything you dream of as a kid growing up in cold Edmonton and then coming to Europe, to win the Champions League with a great club like Bayern.
“It goes to show what a great team I have around me, helping me. To get the opportunity to play is really amazing for me.
“I want my story to inspire people. If you set your mind to it, you can do anything. I’m happy to have a Champions League medal around my neck and a trophy by my side.”
David Alaba took the knee after Bayern’s victory (David Ramos/AP)
But while Bayern were jubilant, PSG must start again in their bid to win the world’s biggest club competition.
“Tonight, we feel like s***,” said ex-Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera on RMC Sport. “But we have built something important for the club and the supporters. There are no words this evening but tomorrow we will think about what we did together.
“It will be difficult to sleep tonight as it is difficult to talk to you, but we did something important and we will improve next year.”
Herrera’s coach Thomas Tuchel, who watched on from the sidelines with his foot in a boot after suffering an injury, said it was a “bitter defeat” but one that showed PSG can compete with the best.
So close yet so far for Neymar (Manu Fernandez/AP)
“It was a big, big fight between two strong, strong sides, two very equal sides,” he said on BT Sport. “I had the feeling before that the first goal could be decisive in this match and it was a pity we couldn’t do it because it would have been a big challenge for them to come back.
“But we showed unbelievable fight and if you did the same again it would absolutely be possible to win the game 1-0.
“We showed we are a strong side and we can be proud of that. Now we have a bitter defeat but we do not worry too much about it because we can go on.”
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