Paris Saint-Germain coach Antoine Kombouare remained defiant on Thursday even though a 2-0 loss at Salzburg means his team are likely to fail to qualify for the last 32 of the Europa League.
The Group F defeat, courtesy of goals from Jakob Jantscher and Dusan Svento, means Salzburg will be through, and PSG out, if the Austrians beat Slovan Bratislava in their last game.
Athletic Bilbao's 2-1 home win over the Slovakians means the La Liga club, who now travel to PSG, have won the group.
"I will never throw in the towel," said Kombouare, while noting that his players seemed short on confidence after a fourth straight match without a win.
He told Canal + sport: "What worries me is the frailty which is gradually creeping in with the players. It's at times like these that you see which lads have character and can lift their heads up.
"You have to provoke success. That means going in where it hurts," he added.
PSG officials have said in recent days they will keep faith with Kombouare, despite the club, flush with Qatari cash, slipping from top spot in the French league after losses at home to modest Nancy and then away to Marseille, allowing Montpellier to go clear.
But speculation is rife in the media his days could be numbered after 85 million euros of investment in the summer does not appear to have produced a winning formula for a club which last won the league title in 1994 and whose only European success was a Cup Winners Cup in 1996.
Source: AFP
