On Friday, as part of Round 2 of the Club World Cup, Paris Saint-Germain take on Botafogo at the Rose Bowl Stadium (kick-off 3am CET, broadcast on DAZN). On the eve of the match, Paris coach Luis Enrique answered a number of questions at a press conference.
Luis Enrique “This is the objective as a team.”
There’s a euphoria at PSG with the Champions League and it’s continuing. Is your job to prolong it, or rather to keep your feet on the ground?
I think it’s normal after winning the Champions League and therefore being the European champion at the moment. Everyone’s talking very highly of us, which is great. But at the same time, we’re looking to improve. It’s a normal objective, with the confidence to improve. That’s our goal as a team.
Do you also have moments of rest, like other players?
I’m different from a young player. I don’t have to do anything special. I’m not with my family. But I try to take a walk, go to the beach. It’s nothing special.
Luis Enrique “We always try to be prepared for all problems and circumstances.”
What do you know about Botafogo? How did you prepare for the match?
For us, it’s great to be playing against a top Brazilian team with a great history. They’re the winners of the Copa Libertadores 2024. They’re bound to pose us some problems, perhaps unlike the European teams. It’ll be a great challenge for us. But we’re not changing our preparation too much.
We’ve seen that a lot of teams change against us. But we’re familiar with their level, a high level. We prepare in the same way. We always try to be prepared for all problems and all circumstances.
Are you surprised by the level of the Brazilian teams against the European ones?
I’m not surprised (smiles).
Luis Enrique “everyone wants to play against us.”
What about midday games in the heat?
I don’t know who makes the choice. But it’s hard to mix everything up, you need an interesting schedule in Europe, with the commercials…that’s just the way it is. We also have to make sure that the players are in the right conditions. The show depends on them. But this time we’re playing at a time that’s perhaps more advantageous, and we hope to put on a good show.
How do you work in a session? Is there a debrief afterwards? Any changes tomorrow?
When you play against an opponent you know, it’s easier to manage. In this case, you have to be ready for any scenario. We always prepare in the same way, to play the same way whatever the opponent. That’s our strength, and we want to keep it that way. At the moment, everyone wants to play against us. It’s something we have to deal with, and we have to be ready.
Luis Enrique “It’s something we need to pass on to young people, the importance of the team, of knowing how to suffer together.”
Vitinha could be Ballon d’Or winner, where would he fit in for you?
If he wins the Ballon d’Or tomorrow, I’ll put him on the bench (laughs). What about the ranking? Ah, it doesn’t matter to me. I prefer the team. There’s the favorite, Ousmane Dembélé, but there are plenty of players who could get it. Like Vitinha, Hakimi, Ruiz, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes… All my players. In the end, I’m not that interested.
What interests me is what our team represents in soccer, the collective strength, the strength of the club. That’s something I want to pass on to young people, the importance of the team, of knowing how to suffer together. That’s what I want us to show, more than an individual trophy.
How can you further improve the team?
It’s easy with this type of player, who likes to play, work every day, win every training match. It’s important to have a player with that mentality. They like to train with a smile on their face, that’s the best mentality.
Luis Enrique “There’s still a lot to do”.
Is Botafogo’s match against PSG a textbook confrontation between Brazil and Europe?
The Brazilian school is well known and very distinct. Brazilian players are special. There’s a high quality of players. It’s a pleasure to have these players in European soccer. There are also a lot of European players coming to Brazil and America, which is positive. There will be different styles tomorrow, which will be interesting to see. We’ll have to make the most of it.
PSG are one of the best teams in the world at the moment, could they make their mark during this period?
We’re European champions, and I think we’re right, with a difficult run. But it’s only the beginning. There’s still a lot to do. We’re very ambitious. We want to keep winning and deserve to win. But there’s a lot of work to do. The teams will be particularly motivated against us.
Luis Enrique “In the end, we’ll see who deserves it most and then we can analyze.”
What’s it like being together as a group? Has the atmosphere changed since the Champions League win?
The atmosphere is almost the same as before the victory. The last week before the final was difficult, because there was too much excitement. But now it’s just like at the start of the season. We play and have fun. I love the atmosphere in the group before playing Botafogo.
What style of soccer do you prefer between the different countries?
To give an honest answer, I’d have to analyze the situation in depth. I haven’t been able to see everything. But it’s good to see the different teams playing against each other, with different styles. But to analyze, with this first competition, you need more time and analysis. We’re trying to see everything. In the end, we’ll see who deserves it most, and then we’ll be able to analyze.
Luis Enrique “We have to be calm and think of the best for the player.”
Any news on Ousmane Dembélé? Could he play in the 3rd match?
I don’t know yet. He’s improving very quickly, but we have to be calm and think of the best for the player. We’re a real team. We want Ousmane Dembélé with the team as soon as possible, but for the moment we have to wait and be careful.
Luis Enrique: “I’m not closing any doors, I’m open to anything.”
What’s the formula for keeping the team determined?
You have to use the Champions League win as motivation. We’ve got players who still enjoy working and playing. We don’t need to motivate them so much as calm them down sometimes (smile).
Would you like to be a coach in South America?
I don’t know (smile). There are some historic clubs, of course. There’s a strong passion around clubs like River Plate, Boca Juniors, Botafogo, Santos…I don’t know, maybe. I’m not closing any doors, I’m open to anything.
