
Enrique: Winning Against Atalanta Was Not a Given
The head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, Luis Enrique, made important press statements following the victory against Atalanta with a score of 4-0 in the UEFA Champions League.
Regarding the difficulty of the match, Enrique said: "I think this is a very good start and reflects our style of play, against a very strong Atalanta team in terms of physical strength and technical skills. They press you and create problems, but we are in very good shape and deserved this win."
On the importance of a strong start: "We hope to go far this season; our match schedule resembles an obstacle course, but if we look back to last year, we won our first match in stoppage time, and this time it was much better. We were all aware of the importance of a strong start, and the victory was deserved."
On watching the match from the stands: "I chose to watch most of the match from the stands because I prefer to see the tactical shapes of the teams from above."
Regarding the upcoming match against Olympique Marseille in the league, he said: "We know how these classic matches with great competition are, but we are ready to present our best football."
On the challenge of being among the top eight: "There is no specific goal; as you know, our schedule is very different from the other teams. It will be difficult to win five matches and draw one because our schedule is tougher than everyone else’s."
On choosing Mayolo as a starter against Atalanta: "We saw that with Atalanta's high pressing, using Mayolo in the number 9 position, with his ability to move, break into space, and receive the ball at his feet, could really help us, and we managed to create many opportunities this way."
On the penalty taken by Bradley Parkula: "I am the one who decides who takes the penalties; we have several players capable of executing them, but we saw that Bradley could do it tonight because he hasn’t scored that way yet. Usually, those who take them are Dembélé, Vitinha, or Nuno Mendes."
On the physical readiness of the teams: "We had very few days to rest this summer, so we are still maintaining the same fitness level from last season, but we are playing, and we are ready for this competition. This is the start of the season, of course, but we must always face things with a positive mindset; this is the best way to progress."
Regarding the difficulty of the match, Enrique said: "I think this is a very good start and reflects our style of play, against a very strong Atalanta team in terms of physical strength and technical skills. They press you and create problems, but we are in very good shape and deserved this win."
On the importance of a strong start: "We hope to go far this season; our match schedule resembles an obstacle course, but if we look back to last year, we won our first match in stoppage time, and this time it was much better. We were all aware of the importance of a strong start, and the victory was deserved."
On watching the match from the stands: "I chose to watch most of the match from the stands because I prefer to see the tactical shapes of the teams from above."
Regarding the upcoming match against Olympique Marseille in the league, he said: "We know how these classic matches with great competition are, but we are ready to present our best football."
On the challenge of being among the top eight: "There is no specific goal; as you know, our schedule is very different from the other teams. It will be difficult to win five matches and draw one because our schedule is tougher than everyone else’s."
On choosing Mayolo as a starter against Atalanta: "We saw that with Atalanta's high pressing, using Mayolo in the number 9 position, with his ability to move, break into space, and receive the ball at his feet, could really help us, and we managed to create many opportunities this way."
On the penalty taken by Bradley Parkula: "I am the one who decides who takes the penalties; we have several players capable of executing them, but we saw that Bradley could do it tonight because he hasn’t scored that way yet. Usually, those who take them are Dembélé, Vitinha, or Nuno Mendes."
On the physical readiness of the teams: "We had very few days to rest this summer, so we are still maintaining the same fitness level from last season, but we are playing, and we are ready for this competition. This is the start of the season, of course, but we must always face things with a positive mindset; this is the best way to progress."