Javier Pastore sees Luis Enrique's PSG as a European benchmark

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·18 April 2026

Javier Pastore sees Luis Enrique's PSG as a European benchmark

Former Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Javier Pastore, 36, praised in remarks shared by Le Parisien the stature the Parisian club has reached. For the Argentine, this team has become a European benchmark thanks to Luis Enrique’s touch and his ability to control everything without losing intensity.

Pastore: “When I see PSG’s mentality, I see the mentality of a team that is very strong in Europe”

“PSG in the semi-finals for the third time in a row — does that definitely make them one of Europe’s giants? Of course, and not just because they won the Champions League last season. This is a team that is regularly at the highest level. When I see PSG’s mentality, I see the mentality of a team that is very strong in Europe. Nobody wants to face PSG in the Champions League! That shows the power of this side. How did this team become a benchmark? What stands out to me is Luis Enrique’s management. He has played an ultra-decisive role. Of course, it’s the players who are on the pitch, but the coach carries a big share of the responsibility.

Pastore: “It’s a hybrid, unpredictable team”

What fascinates you about this team? It’s a team that can do everything! It can control the game for 90 minutes, with speed or by keeping possession of the ball. But it’s also a team that can play on the counterattack and break forward with any player. It’s a hybrid, unpredictable team. Being able to change the way it plays while keeping the same intensity is unique in Europe. There’s no team like PSG. Bayern operate in a different way; they’re a team that plays very good football, but their players are not as versatile.”

Pastore’s view focuses less on the accumulation of talent than on Paris Saint-Germain’s overall organization. In his analysis, the current PSG impresses because it no longer depends on a single game script: it knows how to monopolize the ball, suddenly accelerate, attack spaces, or punish teams in transition, all while maintaining the same collective demands. That is where Luis Enrique’s imprint appears decisive.

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The Spanish coach has shaped a side capable of changing gears without losing cohesion, which makes it far harder for opponents to read. In Pastore’s eyes, this versatility is not just another asset: it puts Paris in a category of its own, that of teams that impose their problems on all of Europe.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.