Pablo Sarabia, former attacking midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, spoke to Foot Mercato about two key figures at the club: Fabian Ruiz (29), whom he has known for a long time, and Luis Enrique (55), whom he describes as an exceptional coach. The Spaniard praised his compatriot’s career, as well as the Parisian coach’s collective philosophy.
Sarabia: “He deserves everything that’s happened to him, like the Champions League.”
“Fabian Ruiz had a tremendous season with PSG after being criticized at the beginning of his time in Paris. That must make you happy…
He deserves it because I’ve known Fabian for a long time. And for that reason, I know he deserves all this recognition, not just from the club or the fans, but from everyone. In Spain too, everyone deserved to know that he was very good. He deserves everything that’s happened to him, like the Champions League. He’s a good friend. I think he’s a very good person.” And he’s also a very good player.
Sarabia: “I think he has a wonderful way of building a team.”
How would you describe Luis Enrique?
He’s a very good person. He went through a difficult time with his family. He’s accomplished many great things in his career. He’s a coach with a lot of character. He’s very intelligent. He knows how to read matches and all the different situations to win. That’s very important for a coach like him.
I think he has a wonderful way of building a team because he has a vision, and all the players who come to PSG want to play with that vision. That’s very important for the coach; he respects all the players and everything that makes up a team. No matter which players he has, the most important thing is the team. And that’s why he’s a very good coach.
For Pablo Sarabia, Fabian Ruiz embodies patience rewarded. Criticized at the start of his career, the Spanish midfielder established himself at the heart of the Parisian project, even lifting the Champions League trophy. Sarabia considers this trajectory logical, given his knowledge of his friend’s discipline and humility. But beyond individual talents, the former Parisian particularly praises the work of Luis Enrique, whom he sees as the architect of the collective. His game intelligence, tactical awareness, and people management skills, according to him, have transformed PSG into a cohesive and respected team.
“The stars don’t matter; the most important thing is the group,” Sarabia summarizes, a phrase that perfectly illustrates the DNA Luis Enrique has been trying to instill in the club since his arrival. It’s a philosophy he didn’t witness when he first arrived at PSG, where he competed with stars without any way to change the established hierarchy.
