Luis Enrique: ‘It will be an intense match' | OneFootball

The Paris Saint-Germain coach spoke at a press conference and to PSG TV ahead of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Aston Villa FC on Wednesday 9th April at 9pm at the Parc des Princes. Here are some extracts.

Keeping the intensity

‘We will continue to see a great version of Paris Saint-Germain, with the same intensity. I'm totally convinced of the level we've reached so far and of what lies ahead: the best is yet to come. The day before a Champions League match, the energy is different. You see a kind of purity in the players who train. Every coach has his own style and his own way of managing a squad. Marquinhos will be on the bench and will be able to encourage everyone. That's our strength: whoever is absent, the team will be ready.'

Favourites

‘As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as favourites in football. Against Liverpool, everyone said we had less of a chance. There are eight teams who deserve to be at this stage of the competition, eight teams who can qualify for the next stage. A lot of the ‘favourites’ have already been eliminated. We'll have to do what's necessary and deserve to win on the pitch.'

Opposing forces

‘Aston Villa's team is similar to ours: a lot of versatile players, so it's difficult to know who's going to play. A team that can play with a low block, a high block, and drop back. In all these respects, we're very similar, so it promises to be an open and complicated game for both teams. They're capable of playing out from the back, managing space, that's their strength: attacking from the back to the front. We're going to have to be very good defensively and very efficient. I know Marco Asensio very well, he's a top-class player with great technical ability who has won a lot of trophies. Unai Emery is an expert at getting the best out of players. It's a joy to know that you're going up against a great European coach with many titles to his name. Aston Villa have got to this level thanks to him.'

His 100th match with the club

‘I didn't even know! They're just numbers, but I'm proud of them. I hope to do a few hundred more: you have to earn them.'

Managing emotions

‘I stress to my players that it's important to control their emotions. There's a lot going on around the players, but their hearts and legs will be there. We're playing in front of our supporters, at home. We need to take advantage of the positive energy and make it work for us. The things that make me feel proud are the energy we bring to every game. Mental capacity doesn't depend on results, you learn even if you lose. Last season, we had to come back from a goal down in the quarter-finals. I think that in two years, we've shown the ability to come back and we're going to continue to show that.’

the press conference in full

tickets for the match

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