On Tuesday, as part of Matchday 2 of the 2024-2025 Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain (15th) take on Arsenal (16th) at Emirates Stadium (kick-off 9pm, broadcast on Canal+Foot). On the eve of the match, Paris coach Luis Enrique answered a number of questions at a press conference.
Luis Enrique: “He’s a great coach and a great person too”.
The Arsenal coach was full of praise for you. What does he mean to you?
Good evening. It’s always nice to be praised. We were in the same team at Barcelona. He was very young at the time, but he trained with us and was part of the team. I have great memories of him as a teammate.
He had a great career as a player and went through several clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain. He had a very successful end to his career as a player, and he was very successful as a coach. It’s a pleasure tomorrow to be able to say hello to him and talk to him.
He’s currently one of the best coaches we can have on the market, and he’s been able to turn Arsenal back into a title-winning club. He’s created a great team, he’s a great coach and he’s also a great person.
Luis Enrique “I put him on the sidelines and I want the best for the team”.
Dembélé, can you explain why he isn’t with the squad ?
Of course I can. Let me answer that. If someone who doesn’t respect his obligations to the team isn’t ready, I consider this week to be an important week, I consider the next match to be an important match and I want my players to be in the best possible shape. So I’ve put him on the sidelines and I want the best for the team.
Luis Enrique “I have the support of the management, the sporting director and the president”.
We’ve rarely had such a strong decision from a Paris Saint-Germain manager? Do you have the support of your management?
Do you really think it’s easy to create a team like this?You don’t just press a button and have 11 players and players ready to play.There are difficult circumstances, difficult decisions.
There’s no doubt that I’m 100% committed to my decisions, that I’m 100% sure of my decisions and my decisions are not irreversible. I made the best possible decision, I signed for this club to create a team with an identity, to make a daring team that plays soccer.
Was I hired to win titles or to win the Champions League? Certainly not, I did it to write the best possible team on the pitch and if that’s not the case, I’m going home. I would like to add that I have the support of the management, the sporting director and the chairman. I’m here to create a team, and of course with Ousmane Dembélé.
How did he take the news?
I have nothing to add to what I said earlier.You’ve already got plenty to work with.
Luis Enrique “There’s no dispute between the two of us”.
What happened?
I’m very sincere, but I don’t want to turn this into a soap opera. There’s no dispute between the two of us. There’s a problem with the player’s commitment to the team. There’s no problem between the player and the coach.
Does this send a signal to the whole team?
I’ve nothing more to say on the subject. We’ve already lost a few more games, and boy, are we scared.
Arteta says you’re one of the best coaches in the world.
They’re one of the best teams in Europe, they play very well with the ball, and they play very well in all areas. If they’re good with the ball, they’re perhaps even better without it. They’re a team with a strong identity. It’s very difficult to play them and there will be a similar but different style. It’s going to be a tough match.
Luis Enrique: “It’s important to connect the players”.
Does Arteta look like you?
Arteta has been coaching Arsenal for 5 years and has renewed his contract. He’s done some really difficult things to create this team. He has the same philosophy.
I try to connect with my players and I try to be honest with them and I like to talk to them in the best possible way. I think those are my characteristics, it’s important to connect the players. But we’re well on the way to creating a great team.
Luis Enrique “I have a lot of faith in my players, I really believe in them”.
Will you be relying more on Barcola tomorrow?
I’m going to rely on all the attacking players. All I can tell you is that whatever players we have, the dynamic is always the same. I have a lot of faith in my players and I really believe in them.
We’re not going to speculate, we want to win and play, and I try to transmit the same identity to my players, no matter who they are. I’ve been doing that from the start.
