Enrique faces Slovan Bratislava 15 years after painful Roma memory

Luis Enrique, the Spanish coach of Paris Saint-Germain, will today, Wednesday, recall a painful memory from his early coaching days when he faces Slovan Bratislava in the first round of the group stage in the UEFA Champions League at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

The match against Slovan carries special memories for Enrique, as he previously faced the Slovak team 15 years ago when he was a young coach at AS Roma in the qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League for the 2011-2012 season.

That match was Luis Enrique's first experience at the helm of a professional team after his time with Barcelona's B team, as he took charge of AS Roma with an ambitious project to rebuild the squad and deliver an attacking style of football based on possession.

AS Roma's European start turned into a nightmare as they lost the first leg against Slovan Bratislava 1-0, before settling for a 1-1 draw in the return leg, resulting in an early exit from the competition.

The match intensified the debate surrounding Enrique in Italy, as his decision not to rely on team captain and legend Francesco Totti in the first leg angered AS Roma fans, amid the tense relationship at the time between the Spanish coach and the Italian star. This period was one of the most difficult phases of Enrique's experience in the Italian capital, and it ended with his departure from the club at the end of the season.

After 15 years, Slovan Bratislava returns to face Enrique, but the circumstances have changed completely; the Spanish coach now leads Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning UEFA Champions League holder, and is preparing to defend his title for the third consecutive season, while Slovan enters the match after progressing through the qualifying rounds of the competition.

The Slovak team has successfully navigated three qualifying rounds, overcoming Iberia from Georgia, Mjallby from Sweden, and Celje from Slovenia, to reach the group stage and set up another meeting with Enrique.

The match also features a special encounter between Enrique and Yaya Touré, the current manager of Slovan. The Spanish coach has known Touré since his time as a player at Barcelona, when Enrique was the manager of the club's B team. Enrique stated that he knows how Touré works, noting that Slovan is a team that excels at playing with the ball and will not be an easy opponent.