Every coach wants to be there to defend their players, but Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique clearly crossed a line on Sunday.
Paris Saint-Germain entered the Club World Cup final as the heavy favorites against Chelsea, coming off a lopsided semifinal win against Real Madrid. They expected to be lifting that trophy at MetLife Stadium. But when those hopes came crashing down in the tune of a dominant 3-0 Chelsea win, PSG’s emotions boiled over.
As Chelsea players stormed the field in celebration, Chelsea striker João Pedro exchanged some words with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The altercation escalated when Donnarumma slapped João Pedro. But instead of diffusing the situation, Enrique grabbed at João Pedro’s throat and slapped the Chelsea player.
🚨🤯 Luis Enrique to Joao Pedro! pic.twitter.com/ilnfWUYp5q
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) July 13, 2025
I always regarded him as a very respectable manager but this from Luis Enrique doesn’t look good at all!pic.twitter.com/WaSWKwwLKk
— Nouman (@nomifooty) July 13, 2025
Luis Enrique appeared to hit Joao Pedro in the face as PSG and Chelsea got into it after the final. pic.twitter.com/7C2a0Dpujp
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 13, 2025
It wasn’t until Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca intervened when tensions cooled.
According to World Soccer Talk, FIFA is reviewing the incident and could (and should) issue disciplinary action.
FIFA has confirmed they are reviewing the situation under their Disciplinary Code. Given the severity of these actions, both Luis Enrique and Donnarumma are likely to face serious sanctions, including multi-game suspensions and fines. The organization is expected to issue a formal statement once all video evidence and match reports are assessed.
You just can’t have a manager striking any player. There’s no excuse.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: PSG manager slapped Chelsea’s João Pedro in chaotic post-match scuffle