How a banner honoring PSG manager Luis Enrique's daughter put the Champions League final into perspective
Arguably the most memorable moment of Saturday'sChampions League finalhad nothing to do with soccer at all. That's not to say the action on the pitch didn't live up to expectation, because it did. Paris Saint-Germain made history with a record-breaking 5-0 win over Inter Milan, claiming the club's very first European Cup. There were great moments and magical performances, notably from teenager Désiré Doué, who introduced himself to the world with two goals and one assist on the grandest stage of all. But all of that paled into insignificance when the PSG fans unfurled a banner behind the goal, as the players and staff celebrated with the trophy in front of them. The image on the banner was one that sent goosebumps around Munich's Allianz Arena and undoubtedly made millions of viewers around the world pause for a moment. The picture on the banner was of PSG managerLuis Enrique and his daughter Xana, who died when she was just nine years old in 2019. The scene depicted was one from 2015, after Enrique had just won the Champions League as the manager of Barcelona. Together the pair had celebrated by planting a Barcelona flag in the middle of the pitch, a moment and an image that has taken on extra significance since Xana's death six years ago. Earlier this year, with the final still a long way away, Enrique told reporters that he one day wanted to recreate that moment after winning the Champions League trophy in honor of his daughter. In the end, he didn't need to; his fans did it for him. "It was very emotional," a very composed Enrique told reporters after Saturday's win. "It was beautiful to think that the supporters had thought about me and my family." At the full-time whistle, all that emotion was clear to see on Enrique's face. He almost stumbled onto the pitch with a beaming smile, seemingly overcome with the emotion of winning the Champions League trophy for a second time. During the celebrations, Enrique also put on a black T-shirt with the image of him and his daughter, a sobering moment that put everything into perspective. His other daughter, Sira MartÃnez, also posted photos on her Instagram Story of fans wearing PSG shirts with Xana's name on the back. The family tragedy six years ago happened when Enrique was manager of Spain. In June 2019, he stepped away from the role to spend more time with his family. In August that year, he announced that Xana had died. But speaking to reporters after the game, Enrique said he didn't need a soccer match, or a trophy, to make him think of his daughter. "My daughter is always with me. She's here, she's supporting our family and I feel her presence even when we lose," he added. "It's just about grouping everything we went through together and really taking the positives out of a negative situation. "That's our mindset, that's my mentality, it's my family's mentality and I was delighted, but I don't need a trophy to think about my daughter. She's always here with me." Regardless of his personal situation, what Enrique has done to this PSG side has been nothing short of astonishing. When he took over last season, the club was still bloated, left dealing with the consequences from the club's previous tactic of spending money on superstar players it probably didn't need. And then he was dealt another blow, when striker Kylian Mbappé finally left the club to join Real Madrid for the start of this season. In many ways, though, those hardships turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Instead of managing personalities and transfer sagas, Enrique was allowed to focus purely on the pitch. It allowed him to develop a young team, and establish a unity that was tested several times during this Champions League campaign. Time and time again, the players responded to whatever he asked, and the deep respect they have for their manager was clear to see after the club made history on Saturday. "Luis Enrique is the man who changed all of PSG, he made it so this team looks at football another way," PSG star Achraf Hakimi told Spanish TV after the game. "He's a loyal human, after everything that's happened to him. One of the few left in this world. He deserves it more than anyone." It was a similar message from Saturday's player of the match, Doué, who praised his manager for connecting on a more human level. "He's been here for two years and he has made history for the club," the 19-year-old said, per Reuters. "Tactically and mentally, he is a really good coach, unbelievable, and as a human being too. It is a pleasure to work with him. I don't know how we'll celebrate but it's going to be crazy." So in a few years' time, when we all look back of this year's Champions League final, it will likely be the image of Enrique and his daughter that is remembered most. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com
How a banner honoring PSG manager Luis Enrique's daughter put the Champions League final into perspective Arguably the most memorable mo...
