Luis Enrique has no qualms over going into battle with former membership Barcelona as he makes an attempt to finish Paris St Germain’s quest for Champions League glory.
The 53-year-old Spaniard guided Barca, for whom he had made 300 appearances as a participant, to European glory as supervisor in 2015 and was handed the duty of repeating the feat with the big-spending French champions final summer time.
The 2 sides go head-to-head within the first leg of their quarter-final showdown on the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night with no query over the place Enrique’s loyalties lie.
Luis Enrique: “There’ll be a rare ambiance”
The Paris Saint-Germain coach spoke to the media forward of Wednesday’s eagerly anticipated UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg at residence to Barcelona. https://t.co/RYpa9U8qL1
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 9, 2024
He informed a press convention: “After all I like Barcelona, however I’m more than happy to be right here at PSG. I simply have to give attention to my job and this staff and constructing confidence right here.
“I feel I’m able to bringing trophies to this membership and I’m filled with want to be on the high stage on this tie.”
Enrique’s former team-mate Xavi – who he despatched on as a late alternative for Andres Iniesta within the 3-1 2015 remaining victory over Juventus in Berlin – might be within the away dugout because the Catalan giants try to succeed in the semi-finals for the primary time since 2019.
Nevertheless, the PSG boss is just not satisfied his inside data will do him any good.
Enrique, who might be with out the suspended Achraf Hakimi, stated: “I’ve to say that I don’t know Xavi in any respect as a coach. I find out about him as a participant – he was my team-mate – I find out about him as a footballer, however not as a coach.
“I do know the membership very properly, I do know Barcelona and the gamers, however I don’t know if that might be a bonus. Perhaps it might be the other.”
PSG, who’re on a 27-game unbeaten run in all competitions, haven’t made the quarter-finals in three seasons, whereas five-time winners Barca have gone out within the group stage in every of the final two campaigns.
The perimeters are assembly within the final eight for the fourth time with Barca having come out on high within the final two in 2012-13 and 2014-15, with the French giants getting the higher of their Spanish opponents again in 1994-95.
FULL-TIME: FC Barcelona 1⃣-4⃣ Paris Saint-Germain @KMbappe Moise Kean
That was a SENSATIONAL efficiency on the Camp Nou! #UCL | #FCBPSG pic.twitter.com/klLpJs3sIQ
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 16, 2021
PSG held sway the final time they have been final paired collectively – within the final 16 – three seasons in the past when Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick secured a 4-1 first-leg victory on the Nou Camp after Lionel Messi had opened the scoring from the penalty spot earlier than each males scored in a 1-1 draw within the return.
Nevertheless, maybe probably the most outstanding tie during which the 2 golf equipment have been concerned got here on the identical stage of the 2016-17 marketing campaign when the Catalan giants returned from the Parc des Princes on the mistaken finish of a 4-0 scoreline to win 6-1 on residence turf.
Barcelona reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the primary time in 4 years after beating Napoli within the spherical of 16 and boss Xavi was feeling the “pleasure” for Wednesday’s tie.
