Barcola reveals ‘what’ Luis Enrique asks of him on the pitch and how he has become a more efficient scorer

In an interview with Le Parisien, Bradley Barcola takes stock of his prolific start to the season with PSG. The 22-year-old striker, top scorer in Ligue 1, explains in passing the instructions given to him by his coach Luis Enrique.

Eight goals in ten matches. Bradley Barcola has been tormenting the Ligue 1 nets since the start of the season. Freed by the departure of Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid, the 22-year-old striker has become PSG’s number 1 offensive asset in recent weeks. Even if he has not yet managed to be as decisive in the Champions League (no goals in three matches), the former OL player sits at the top of the top scorers in the French championship. A success driven by Luis Enrique, his trainer, who asks him to be more impactful in the zone of truth.

“That’s what I lacked last year. I was more in a hard-hitting winger role, I didn’t have that killer side,” confides Barcola in an interview with Le Parisien. “The coach was the first to reproach me for it. He always told me that what I was doing was very good, but he reminded me that I was first and foremost an attacker and that’s what we ask for a striker, it’s to score I had to incorporate that into my game. If I integrated it, it was certain that I was going to be a very, very good player.

“Luis Enrique asks me to play released”

“When I approached the season, I really put it in my head that I had to be a scorer, more decisive,” continues the French international (9 caps, 2 goals). “It’s above all a question of mentality. It requires being more concentrated, having this desire to score and make people score. You really have to put that in place in your head to say to yourself: ‘Today, I have to do something!”

Since his arrival in Paris in August 2023, the native of Lyon has tried to best apply the instructions of Luis Enrique, who has asked him since the first day to “play liberated”. “It’s the very first instruction he gave me,” Barcola slips. “I still remember it, on my first start against Marseille, he told me to play as I know how, without worrying, and that’s what he still asks me. He talks to me a lot, whether it’s good or not so good, he’s always there to give us advice. He doesn’t let us go, that gives me a lot of confidence.”