It was a confident but lucid Luis Enrique about the importance of the match who presented himself at a press conference on the eve of the Bayern/PSG clash in the Champions League. The Spanish coach notably repeated that Bayern was a team very similar to his and also gave news of Gonçalo Ramos and Presnel Kimpembe, without giving any clue about his starting goalkeeper. Here are his comments in full, translated by us.
After the match against Atlético, you were disappointed with the result and you spoke of the uncertainty regarding PSG's qualification. Since this defeat, what makes you have complete confidence in your team to put on a great match tomorrow?
“My greatest confidence to face this match is my team who gives it to me every week and every day that I see them train. »
Bayern Munich also have a habit of wanting to control the pace of the match and wanting the ball. Do you expect to suffer for the first time this season tomorrow?
“Both our teams want the ball, but there is only one”
“I think we are very similar to Bayern Munich in our approach to matches. Both our teams want the ball, but there is only one. Our two teams press high, aggressively and far from our goal. The statistics say we are two very close teams. We are also two of the three teams who have the best statistics in attack and defense, particularly in terms of ball possession, scoring opportunities or “expected goals conceded” (xG against). We look a lot alike. The problem is that there will only be one ball tomorrow and whoever doesn't have the ball will suffer. They like us, without a doubt. »
At the beginning of October, it was complicated at Arsenal. It’s the end of November, how has your team progressed since then?
“I believe that after 12 matches in Ligue 1 and 4 in the Champions League, so 16 matches, the team has always had – with the exception of the match at Arsenal – a better performance than that of the opponent. I'm talking about numbers, attacking situations, defensive situations… I would like the team to continue on this same path tomorrow. It is certain that tomorrow we will have to face things that we are not used to. But it will be the same for Bayern. When we don't have the ball, we will have to run more than usual. But it's always like that against an opponent of this level, even more so when he plays at home. »
Do you consider that you have a little more pressure than Bayern before the match and can this pressure allow your players to raise their level of play?
“There is an obligation to produce good results in the next four matches”
“It’s true that we have already played four matches, including three at the Parc, and that the results, which I consider unfair, are what they are. This means that there is an obligation to produce good results in the four matches that come to qualify. We don't know how many points will be needed, but it's obvious we've made it difficult ourselves. Football does not know what is fair or unfair, it simply knows that there are goals scored and on this point, it is obvious that we have room for improvement. »
Bradley Barcola is Ligue 1's top scorer, but has only scored one goal in 14 Champions League appearances. Should he still take a step forward in this competition?
“I believe that to judge the statistics of any player, you must first look at what he has done in previous years. But in the case of players as young as ours, it's difficult because it's obvious that there must be progression. You have to wait until the end of the season to see the stats of each player. What is certain is that the team's figures, as far as the championship is concerned, are better than last season. And I repeat: we are looking to improve the strength of the team and we do not want to depend on one player. We want to improve the stats of all players individually. »
You played Dortmund four times last season. Even though Bayern is not the same team, what do you fear most about them and what are the characteristics of German football?
“Footballistically, Bayern is the team in Europe closest to ours”
“I think we can't generalize or compare teams. Bayern are one of the favorites in every competition they play, regardless of the year. This sentence will still be valid in 10 or 20 years. They have won the Champions League 6 times. It is a historic club, totally different from any other German club, for its history, its weight as a club. And I repeat: football-wise and in terms of game ideas, it is the team in Europe that I find closest to ours, with perhaps also Manchester City. We are teams designed to have the ball and who want to recover it as quickly as possible when they lose it, aggressively and without being afraid to do it away from our goal. That's how I see the match. It will be two fronts confronting each other with the same objective. It will be very interesting to see a big match tomorrow. »
We learned this morning of the return to the group of Gonçalo Ramos, can he start such an important match tomorrow? What do you also think of Safonov’s rise to power?
“Gonçalo Ramos is in the final process of his recovery with the clear intention of returning, but I don't know when. For the rest, I see all my players prepared. One of my goals as a coach, the main one, is to want all my players to be ready to play any match. This applies to all matches, throughout the season. For the one who arrives and for the others. »
Is tomorrow's match a way for your young team to prove they can compete with one of Europe's best away teams?
“We are at a very high level, whether you like our matches or not. I am satisfied with what I see and the ambition we have. We can improve, no doubt about it. But tomorrow we will try again to be courageous, to attack, to take risks in defense as always. Here is the path. I don't know any others, I don't want to know any others, the others don't interest me. And then if the opponent is better than us, then we will applaud them and prepare for the next match. Here is the reality. »
Kimpembe is also back in the group. Can he have a few minutes tomorrow or soon? On Safonov, you made the choice to start him against teams who press high, like Lens and Toulouse. Bayern are one of those teams that press high. Does he have the goalkeeper profile to solve the equation against Bayern?
“Ramos is closer to finding the pitch than Kimpembe”
“For Kimpembe, he is much better, but he is still in a recovery process. He returned to training and it was important for us that he was with the team. But he is still in his process. Gonçalo is closer to returning to the field. For Safonov, the same answer as earlier: all my players are prepared, whether their names are Pepe, Lucas, Antoine or Quentin. »
Against a team that presses high, you often like to use a number nine who comes more into the heart of the game, like Dembélé in Marseille or against Real Sociedad for example. Can you explain to us why a player like that can change the opposing pressure?
“The opponent's pressing can be thwarted in different ways. We can try to overcome this by trying to play from the back, via short passes. We can also with a number nine who holds the ball. You can also play behind your opponent's back. Each coach chooses a way to thwart this type of pressing. Choose the one you want, I will choose the one I prefer the most (smile). »
A German journalist asks a question about Kimmich, but the translation is not very clear.
What makes Joshua Kimmich so important to PSG and why are you going to try to sign him again?
“I don’t comment on players who are not in our squad. »
