Luis Enrique: All Coaches Should Teach How Dembélé Defends

Luis Enrique, the head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, confirmed that facing Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final represents an extremely difficult and challenging milestone, noting that he did not expect to reach two consecutive finals in the most important continental club competition.

The Spanish coach made these statements during the press conference preceding the final scheduled for May 30, where he emphasized that his main motivation lies in the constant desire to compete, explaining that football is an “unpredictable” game no matter the preparations.

Enrique said: “Football has given me much more than I have given it, and I have never sought to be one of the best coaches, but my goal has always been to be present to compete and win at every moment.”

In his talk about his players, Enrique gave special praise to the French star Ousmane Dembélé, considering him a model of a complete player on both offensive and defensive levels.

He added: “All coaches should teach how Dembélé defends. We often focus only on what attackers offer offensively, but we ignore their defensive work.”

The Spanish coach also touched on historical ambitions, affirming his desire to achieve an unprecedented feat by winning the UEFA Champions League twice in a row, a feat achieved only by Zinedine Zidane with Real Madrid.

Enrique also praised Arsenal, describing them as “the best team in the world without the ball” due to their tactical discipline and defensive strength, noting the significant development achieved under Mikel Arteta's leadership.

He continued: “Arteta learned in big places like Manchester City under Guardiola, and what he says on the sidelines clearly reaches the players.”

The Paris Saint-Germain coach concluded his remarks by confirming that player selection at the club is not based solely on technical aspects but also extends to personality and the ability to integrate with the team's philosophy and playing style.