The Paris SG coach spoke on the eve of the clash against Manchester City in the Champions League. Ambitious, relaxed and already focused, the Spaniard is waiting for this meeting “impatiently.”
His reunion with Pep Guardiola
“Tomorrow (Wednesday) is a very special match, for both teams, but also because I will meet a friend with whom I have shared many years. It’s a great joy to see Pep again. What brings us together is our idea of football, no one will doubt our overall philosophy of play. In particular being better than the opponent with the ball. There are obviously nuances, each coach develops his idea and refines his model. We initially have a very similar game idea and I think we are going to see a very good football match.”
The temptation of a tactical move from the two coaches
“It’s obvious that it’s a very important match, everyone has to be ready. City are doing a lot of things tactically, with many positional changes. Us too. It’s a match that comes at a complicated time between the two teams (in the standings). Everyone will deploy their best weapons and the one who is best prepared and adapted will win. We will see who is the most efficient and who gets the most out of this possession. We can’t not have the ball because that’s what gives us chances. I am convinced of this. »
“For me, Barça’s historic 4-3-3 is what brought it to almost perfect. He’s a number 1, he’s unique. He innovated in the world of football and I am lucky to be his friend. »
Luis Enrique sur Pep Guardiola
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Guardiola/Luis Enrique, who most represents the Barça model
“For me, Barça’s historic 4-3-3 is what brought it to almost perfect. He’s a number 1, he’s unique. He innovated in the world of football and I am lucky to be his friend. He opened up another way of playing, particularly in England, and this opened the door to other coaches. Barça’s values are Pep Guardiola. I stick to the ball…. It’s a very Spanish play on words. »
-PSG’s hiccups in the Champions League
“PSG should have won the matches against PSV (1-1) and Atlético (1-2) at home. But football is capricious. With 5 more points, we would be qualified and not in this situation. Like last season, we had to fight until the last match to qualify. So it’s a constant. We had two difficult groups. So we lost games. What I see gives me optimism and confidence.”
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The importance of the meeting against Manchester City
“The most important match of the season? I hope it will be a match in the next phase where we will play for a title. Of course, this one is important. I don’t think anyone thought City and PSG would have this number of points before the 7e day, but it’s football and the format of this competition. Today, no one knows how many points it takes to qualify. After this day, we will see things more clearly. On paper, these are two teams who like to play ball, are ambitious and don’t calculate, it’s a great football match. May the best win and I hope it will be PSG. »
The style opposition between Paris and Manchester
“I believe Pep has been innovative throughout his career, he didn’t plan to use new ideas (Wednesday evening). It’s a match that can make us grow as a team. It’s very exciting, very motivating for the players, even if we are a very young team. We have qualities. It’s stimulating and powerful, it motivates me 100%. “
His impatience before the match
“Pep and I like to defend but above all to attack. We created our game plan by thinking of being better than the opponent. We have a similar idea on the basis of the game and we will see the attitude of both teams. I hope that with the support of the fans, we will be better than the opponent. I can’t wait for that day to come. »
