PSG coach Luis Enrique says clash with Chelsea player, João Pedro at Club World Cup final was exaggerated

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is facing a potential time-based coaching ban after an on-field altercation with Chelsea forward João Pedro marred the conclusion of Sunday’s FIFA Club World Cup final. The match, held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, ended in a convincing 3–0 victory for Chelsea, who became the first champions under the tournament’s new format.

While Chelsea dominated with two goals from Cole Palmer and another from João Pedro, tensions flared late in the game. A red card for PSG midfielder João Neves issued for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair, ignited a heated scuffle involving over 20 players and staff members from both clubs. In the chaos that followed the final whistle, Luis Enrique appeared to make contact with Pedro’s face, prompting the Chelsea player to fall.

Video footage and eyewitness reports indicated that Enrique slapped Pedro on the side of the head after the two confronted each other. The incident quickly escalated, drawing in players and staff in a mass brawl. Enrique was later seen telling his staff, “I’m stupid. [Pedro]’s standing there, he pushes me, I touch him and he throws himself,” as quoted by SPORT.

Speaking at a post-match press conference, Enrique denied any malicious intent and insisted he was trying to defuse the situation. “What happened at the end of the match was a situation that everyone could have avoided,” he said. “I tried to separate the players. There was a lot of tension, everyone pushed and shoved. These are situations we should all avoid.”

The PSG manager’s explanation was echoed by club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who defended Enrique’s character. “We have the most disciplined and respectful coach in the world. He went to separate the ball and got pushed. You have to have respect for your coaches, too,” Al-Khelaifi said.

However, disciplinary repercussions appear imminent. While FIFA cannot impose match-specific suspensions since PSG won’t play under its jurisdiction again until the InterContinental Cup in December, officials are reportedly considering a time-based ban. This would prevent Enrique from engaging in training or matchday duties for a set period.

Spanish referee Eduardo Gonzalez suggested such a penalty could be likely. “You can’t touch an opponent’s face,” he stated. “That’s already a humiliating issue. FIFA can sanction him with time.”

A similar sanction was imposed on Luis Suárez in 2014 when the Uruguayan striker was banned for four months from all football-related activities after biting an opponent during the World Cup.

As for João Pedro, he maintained that PSG players lost their composure. “I went to protect Andrey [Santos],” he told Sportv. “A lot of people were arriving, and in that mess, I ended up getting shoved. They didn’t know how to lose. But this is football, we won the tournament, and now it’s time to celebrate.”

FIFA has yet to confirm if formal disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Enrique or any other individuals involved. The PSG boss could miss the French side’s upcoming Super Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur in Udine on August 14 if the ban is enforced.

Under current tournament-specific rules, João Neves is unlikely to face further suspension, as the red cards issued during the Club World Cup do not carry over to other competitions unless FIFA rules otherwise.