Arrigo Sacchi, former AC Milan coach, was invited by L’Equipe to discuss Paris Saint-Germain’s change in status after winning the Champions League last season. This is largely thanks to the tremendous work of coach Luis Enrique.
Sacchi said, “They feel even stronger, because this collective awareness boosts everyone’s confidence.”
“PSG was for a long time the club that bought very expensive and well-known players, but didn’t achieve the results that matched their investments. The turning point was the arrival of Luis Enrique. He changed the way the club thinks, like in the locker room. We see players moving as eleven players, playing as eleven players, covering the pitch for each other, and being together. As a result, they feel even stronger, because this collective awareness boosts everyone’s confidence.”
Sacchi: “There was a team that was afraid”
In the Champions League final, this impression of confidence was evident: there was a team that was afraid, Inter. And there was a team that knew it was very strong, not because it had talented players, although it does have them, and not because each player wanted to make a difference on their own, but because they all wanted to play with and for others.
A player taken individually can be gifted, but he will be worth so much more if he understands the game, if he knows his teammates, and if he wants to play with them. On a good night, PSG is capable of developing an exceptional quality of play, where the players always know where to go, what to do, in any situation, even the most delicate. We really have to congratulate Luis Enrique.”
PSG has indeed taken a step forward in its image, beyond its sporting aspect. It wasn’t taken as seriously as it is today, with this game-changing Champions League. This is no longer a club that spends to pursue a dream that seems a little too big for them. It’s no longer just a slightly crazy idea.
But it was also shortly before this success that the Parisian club became a little more “serious.” Far from making major purchases for a team that was not always balanced, PSG opted for a renewal of the project and turned to a collective led by coach Luis Enrique.
The latter has become the main face of the project, with a team that has a clear, attractive philosophy and a new mental strength. The Parisian coach has also stepped back to let his team shine, as well as stepping forward to absorb some of the criticism. His arrival was a major change for PSG. We know he will hold a special place in the club’s history and the hearts of its supporters. Whatever happens next, it could still be filled with great success.
