Luis Enrique: "An opportunity to grow" | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique spoke at a press conference ahead of the capital club's UEFA Champions League Matchday 7 clash with Manchester City at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday 22 January (21:00). Excerpts.

Reunion with Pep Guardiola

'Tomorrow will be a special match. Not just because of its importance for both teams, but also because I'll be meeting a friend with whom I've shared some great moments. It's great to see Pep again. What brings us together is our way of seeing football, of constantly pressing, of holding onto the ball more than our opponents. Of course there are nuances, but I think our starting philosophy is similar. I feel very lucky to be his friend and to have been his team-mate. I think he's brought a new way of playing to England.'

The table

'Last season, we had to fight until the last day to get out of our group. I think that over the last two seasons, we've come up against some tough opponents in the group stages. But what I see in my team gives me confidence and makes me very optimistic.'

The stakes

'It's a very important game, and everyone has to be ready, both the coach and the team. I think that both teams will be trying to deploy their best weapons. With the new Champions League format, no one could have predicted where Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain would stand. We still don't know how many points we'll need to qualify for the next round, but maybe after this round we'll find out.'

The shape of the match

'If anything defines Pep Guardiola and me, it's that we like to attack. We define our game plan with that in mind. We hope that, with the support of our fans, we'll manage to be better, even though we know it will be difficult. We have all the ingredients for tomorrow's game to be a great football match. May the best team win, and I hope it's Paris Saint-Germain.'

The game plan

'Our objective is always to have the ball more than our opponents. We want to have as much of the ball as possible in our opponents' half of the pitch so that we can create as many chances as possible. We're fully convinced of that. Now, we can imagine that tomorrow evening, possession will be shared. So we'll have to see who makes the most out of that possession.'

A big challenge

'It's a match that gives us the opportunity to grow as a team. It's very stimulating for the team and for myself. We have a relatively young team, but we have quality.'

The importance of the Parisian fans

'What I ask of the fans? That they continue to do what they always do. Whether we win or lose, whether we're at home or away, it's always our supporters that you hear. I think that's a great vote of confidence on their part.'

The arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

'Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a player who showed his ability at Napoli and with the Georgia national team. He can play on the flanks, in the centre, up front... He's a player who adapts to our system. He's also involved defensively, which fits in with our idea of football.'

The full press conference

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