Luis Enrique, the Parisian coach, affirmed Monday at a press conference that no team was “better” than that of PSG on the eve of the clash in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League against Bayern, even if the Germans are “a little above” in “terms of consistency”.
PSG and Bayern are the two best offensive teams in the Champions League. Is this a final before its time?
They are the two best teams in Europe even if Arsenal also had a good season. In terms of consistency, Bayern are a little above us. But in terms of what we show, there is no better team than us. After missing the Top 8, I already said that there was no one better than us.
How planned was the team’s rise?
All coaches seek to arrive in the final sprint of the season in the best conditions. All the players are ready, that’s the magic of the Champions League, which gives a special energy to the players. They all want to be there. The rest depends on a lot of things, it’s not a coincidence.
With three semi-finals in a row, are PSG a big player in Europe?
What I can say is that it’s a real pleasure and it’s deserved. I remember the first semi-final against Dortmund: we hit the posts six times, but Dortmund won both matches (2024). But you have to be ambitious to be here, that’s what I think we are. We want to go a little further.
What was your speech before this shock?
You shouldn’t motivate, it’s quite the opposite, calm. It’s a balance.
There are some uncertainties in midfield, how will you make your choice?
It will be a lottery (laughs). Everyone is ready and I will do as usual to choose. But be careful, we are going to need all the players who can play and on this point I think we are ready.
How will Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes play against players like Luis Diaz and Michael Olise?
Do you think we’ve changed in the Champions League when defending? No, they will have to defend, and very well, because Bayern are strong. But you have to attack more than defend. We want to win this first match and win the second, whatever the result of the first.
Marquinhos plays little in Ligue 1 this season but every time in the Champions League, why?
We need all players to look to be competitive in both competitions. We have to manage the load of minutes. When we make this type of decision, it means that we have controlled each case. He is very important for us, he is our captain, and looking for his best version in the most important matches is obvious for us and for him.
