French reports revealed that the long balls played by the Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov out of bounds during the Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich clash in the UEFA Champions League semi-final were not random mistakes, but part of a well-thought-out tactical plan devised by coach Luis Enrique.

According to the report, Enrique asked Safonov to send the balls to the sideline about 10 meters past the midfield line, specifically on the left side, with the aim of forcing Bayern players to start playing from the back instead of quickly transitioning to attack. This method allowed Paris players to collectively advance forward and apply direct pressure as soon as the throw-in was executed.

The plan was devised out of fear of the high pressure employed by coach Vincent Kompany's team, especially with attackers capable of exploiting any mistake in short build-up play, such as Harry Kane.

Therefore, Enrique preferred to avoid the risk of the usual short play and resorted to a tactical solution that reduced the threat of Bayern's pressure and gave his team the chance to regain possession in advanced areas.

This idea also helped limit the threat of Michael Olise, who found himself trapped in tight spaces, amid clear defensive cooperation between Nuno Mendes and Fabian Ruiz.

After the details of the plan were revealed, it seems Enrique will face many questions about this unconventional style that turned into one of the keys to Paris's qualification.