
Enrique: It Will Be a Beautiful Match Between Two Teams with the Same Mentality
Spanish coach Luis Enrique, the head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, held an emotional press conference at Montjuïc Stadium on the eve of his former team's clash with Barcelona in the second round of the Champions League group stage.
The coach began his remarks about returning to Barcelona: "It’s always nice to be in Barcelona; it’s my home, the place where I spent most of my career as a player and coach. It’s always special to be here, and the weather is as sunny as usual. It’s true that we won’t be playing at Camp Nou, but the stadium is beautiful, and I have wonderful memories here from the 1992 Olympics that I participated in."
He added about the match against Barcelona: "It will be a beautiful match between two teams with the same mentality, the same pride in playing attacking football, and the desire to possess the ball and defend well."
Regarding the improvement of Paris Saint-Germain's defense: "What we are looking for – like all coaches – is the balance between attack and defense. Tomorrow, we will see two similar teams, and for the fans, it will be a very exciting encounter."
He continued about absences and their impact on his plans: "There are different ways to deal with these matters. You can look for excuses, or you can achieve results. We want results no matter what names will participate. We will prepare for the match as we always do, to win."
On Pedri's statements and his desire for revenge: "It will be a wonderful match between two teams with the same mentality and the same desire to play attacking football, possess the ball, and defend well. I know Pedri well; he is an amazing player. I am very happy with what Barcelona is currently doing, especially with a player like Pedri."
He emphasized: "For us, it is exciting and enjoyable to play against a team that shares our philosophy, and with a coach I have known for a long time. We have the same idea: to score one more goal and play beautiful football. The key will be in the ability to possess the ball and control the game."
He concluded about the difference in how people perceive him in Barcelona and Paris: "From the press? (laughs) I have always felt appreciated. It’s a different kind of affection; when there are many criticisms, it’s also a way to express love. I have been lucky to feel loved everywhere, and in Paris, I felt the support of the club from day one. Barcelona is different; it’s my city, it’s my home, and I will never say anything negative about Barcelona. I will remain grateful to it forever. And when I return, I see that there are many people who love me, and that’s the best thing that can happen to me as a professional – that love from the people."
The coach began his remarks about returning to Barcelona: "It’s always nice to be in Barcelona; it’s my home, the place where I spent most of my career as a player and coach. It’s always special to be here, and the weather is as sunny as usual. It’s true that we won’t be playing at Camp Nou, but the stadium is beautiful, and I have wonderful memories here from the 1992 Olympics that I participated in."
He added about the match against Barcelona: "It will be a beautiful match between two teams with the same mentality, the same pride in playing attacking football, and the desire to possess the ball and defend well."
Regarding the improvement of Paris Saint-Germain's defense: "What we are looking for – like all coaches – is the balance between attack and defense. Tomorrow, we will see two similar teams, and for the fans, it will be a very exciting encounter."
He continued about absences and their impact on his plans: "There are different ways to deal with these matters. You can look for excuses, or you can achieve results. We want results no matter what names will participate. We will prepare for the match as we always do, to win."
On Pedri's statements and his desire for revenge: "It will be a wonderful match between two teams with the same mentality and the same desire to play attacking football, possess the ball, and defend well. I know Pedri well; he is an amazing player. I am very happy with what Barcelona is currently doing, especially with a player like Pedri."
He emphasized: "For us, it is exciting and enjoyable to play against a team that shares our philosophy, and with a coach I have known for a long time. We have the same idea: to score one more goal and play beautiful football. The key will be in the ability to possess the ball and control the game."
He concluded about the difference in how people perceive him in Barcelona and Paris: "From the press? (laughs) I have always felt appreciated. It’s a different kind of affection; when there are many criticisms, it’s also a way to express love. I have been lucky to feel loved everywhere, and in Paris, I felt the support of the club from day one. Barcelona is different; it’s my city, it’s my home, and I will never say anything negative about Barcelona. I will remain grateful to it forever. And when I return, I see that there are many people who love me, and that’s the best thing that can happen to me as a professional – that love from the people."