- PSG sweat on Zaire-Emery fitness for Champions League play-off
- Stock markets firm on ECB rate cut, corporate results
- Russian drone barrage kills eight in east Ukraine
- Mexican economy shrinks for first time in three years
- 'No awkardness' for Dupont's France with Jegou, Auradou selection
- Israel releases Palestinian prisoners after hostages freed
- BBC apologises to staff over Russell Brand sex complaints
- Nostalgia and escapism: highlights from Paris Couture Week
- UK prosecutors defend jail terms of environmental activists
- Qatari emir tells Syria leader 'urgent need' for inclusive government
- British sailor Davies completes Vendee after 80 days at sea
- Dubai airport clocks record 92.3m passengers, extending hot streak
- IOC presidential contenders deliver their vision for sport in post-Bach era
- Stock markets rise on ECB rate cut, healthy corporate results
- Tears of joy for Thai hostages freed in Gaza
- No survivors after helicopter collides with plane over Washington
- Rwanda-backed M23 pledges to 'march all the way to Kinshasa'
- Jonny Gray returns for Scotland against Italy in Six Nations
- Russian drone barrage kills three elderly couples in east Ukraine
- Italy turn to Allan for Six Nations opener against Scotland
- US economic growth steady in 2024 as Trump takes office
- Leipzig sign in-demand Xavi Simons from PSG until 2027
- Israel halts prisoner release after Gaza hostages freed
- Merlier at the double at Al-Ula Tour
- French rapist Dominique Pelicot questioned over 1990s cases
- Gray returns for Scotland against Italy in Six Nations
- El Salvador merchants no longer obliged to accept bitcoin
- 'I'm out of here': French town braces for rising floods
- ECB cuts rate again as eurozone falters, with eye on Trump
- UK unveils 'counter-terror style' police powers to stop migrants
- No survivors from plane, helicopter collision in Washington
- France hands over last base in Chad amid withdrawal
- Six arrested over plot to kidnap French YouTube star
- Doubters 'drive' Morgan's Wales before Six Nations opener in Paris
- Figure skating mourns victims of US plane crash
- Richard Gere to be honoured at Spain's top film awards
- Gerrard leaves Saudi club Al-Ettifaq by mutual agreement
- New-look Champions League produces jeopardy, but giants survive
- Syria, Qatar discuss reconstruction during emir's visit
- France, Germany stall eurozone growth in fourth quarter
- Sri Lanka lose quick three after Australia declare on 654-6
- Fly-half Prendergast starts for Six Nations champions Ireland against England
- DR Congo leader vows 'vigorous' response as Rwanda-backed fighters advance
- Russian champion skaters aboard crashed US plane: state media
- Gaza militants hand over eight more hostages
- Top Palestinian militant to be freed in Israel prisoner exchange
- Australia declare on 654-6 in first Sri Lanka Test
- Top Palestinian militant freed in Israel prisoner exchange
- Koran burner shot dead in Sweden, five arrested
- Scottish court rules against two new North Sea oil and gas fields
Luis Enrique praises PSG for making knockouts despite 'worst draw'
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique on Wednesday praised his side for making the Champions League knockout stages despite having the "worst draw of the 36 teams involved".
PSG were dominant in a 4-1 win at Stuttgart on Wednesday, having come into the game needing victory to guarantee they made the top 24 and avoid an early exit from the competition.
Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick after Bradley Barcola's opener as the French champions climbed to 15th in the table.
PSG will meet Ligue 1 rivals Brest or Monaco in a two-legged knockout tie in February.
"Our objective of qualifying has been achieved. We had the worst draw of the 36 teams involved, which was frustrating at the start, but we managed to clearly achieve our objective, and the performances were there," Luis Enrique said in a press conference.
PSG lost to Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, while drawing at home against PSV Eindhoven.
Under the new competition structure -- introduced for the 2024-25 season -- all teams are put in pots and drawn to face eight teams at random, as opposed to the previous system of playing three sides home and away.
The coach, who won the Champions League as Barcelona boss in 2015, said PSG's final ranking of 15th, with 13 points, "was a bit unfair, we deserved five more points at least."
"Our team showed personality and ambition and defended well," Luis Enrique said.
"Our team is one of the youngest, (but) we have the capacity to bounce back when the going gets tough."
Goalscorer Dembele said PSG would have to wait and see who they faced after Friday's draw, but said the game would be "a battle".
The one downside for PSG was an ankle injury to 18-year-old midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, who limped off late in the game.
Luis Enrique said: "I don't know anything. We'll have to wait for tests tomorrow to have a clear idea, but it doesn't look very good."
E.Flores--AT