This Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain hosts FC Barcelona for the third matchday of the Champions League group stage. Speaking to beIN SPORTS, Luis Enrique—the coach of the Parisian club—discussed this clash, which holds special significance for him, given his past as both a player and a coach for the Catalan side.
Luis Enrique: “You have to pay attention to every detail.”
This is the third chapter in your encounters with FC Barcelona; how does the approach to tomorrow’s match differ from the previous two?
“Every match is different. Last year, we played against Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona under completely different circumstances than today. You have to pay attention to every detail.”
How do you maintain this positive pressure on a day-to-day basis?
“When you win, you want to keep winning. To do that, you must always keep improving. You have to be aware of the challenges during team talks and constantly look for ways to get better.”
You have a unique history with FC Barcelona—has the emotional attachment been set aside now?
“No, it’s always different. At first, I didn’t enjoy these kinds of matches against FC Barcelona because they were emotionally difficult. Now, I’ve started to enjoy them. It’s wonderful to play against them; it’s a source of motivation. I played there and I coached there, but I am always driven to give my absolute best.”
