Distant and even sometimes harsh with the press, Luis Enrique maintains a very different relationship with his group. The PSG coach is appreciated for his human side despite his real discipline, but it is more in the tactical area that he can sometimes strain his players.
The French press (re)discovered Luis Enrique’s face in front of the media this week, with this scathing response to Margot Dumont from Canal+ who criticized his tactics after Arsenal/PSG (2-0). The Parisian coach has not expressed the slightest regret nor formulated, at least publicly, the slightest apology. But the Luis Enrique in front of the media is obviously not the same in front of his players, even if he was just as cold when deciding the case of Ousmane Dembélé, accused of having left the collective framework and deprived of trip to London.
Humanly appreciated, but intransigent on discipline
Humanly, the former Real Madrid and Barça player would even be rather appreciated by his players as L’Equipe reminds us this Sunday. Most know his life, his professional career, his personal dramas and he feels like the captain of the ship they are all on board with, with big goals to achieve. The Spaniard knows how to have comforting words for his players in tough times, even if he is not accustomed to individual interviews, and constantly defends his players in front of the press.
Luis Enrique, on the other hand, does not compromise in any way with the discipline as a relative of one of the French internationals of the group explains to L’Equipe but “He’s not a dictator about it. PSG has a delicate history in this area but what Luis Enrique is asking for is the basis of the very high level. » After the holiday camp of the Pochettino then Galtier era, the club has mostly returned to normal, and the Spanish coach has sometimes also turned a blind eye to certain nighttime outings when he felt that it was not worth sanctioning .
Tactically inflexible
But the PSG coach is not appreciated in everything by his players, necessarily. Some seasoned players do not appreciate seeing the team composition being revealed a few hours before the match on the same day. The former Barça man is also not the type to compromise or even discuss his tactical choices with his flock. Players have specific tasks and instructions that must be respected or risk serious adjustments. A way of doing “which, according to some, paralyzes part of the workforce and restricts their expression” as L’Equipe explains.
There is also no real question of justifying one’s choices to the players and some big names in the squad could have found themselves on the bench without the slightest explanation. When it comes to leading the team, he is the sole master, assuming his responsibilities head-on, and even president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and sports director Luis Campos are not going to question him on his choices. , a rare privilege in Paris.
