PSG coach Luis Enrique: “My style of play undoubtedly represents Barcelona more than Xavi’s”

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique will come face to face with former club Barcelona for the first time as a manager in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

The PSG boss won the competition with Barça in 2015, which was counterpart Xavi Hernández’s last season with the Catalans as a player. The two, who also played together for six years at Camp Nou, will meet in opposing dugouts for the first time.

Luis Enrique spoke to the media ahead of Wednesday’s game, discussing what it means for him to be playing against Barcelona, PSG’s expectations in this year’s Champions League and facing such a familiar face. The Spaniard did, however, side-step a question on want-away forward Kylian Mbappé.

Luis Enrique swerves question about Real Madrid target Kylian Mbappé

What mental state is Kylian Mbappé in?

“You’re asking me about an individual and I’ll answer in collective terms. I believe we’re having our best period of the season. We’re in great physical and mental shape, and the tie is coming at the best time for us.”

What carries more weight, ambition or pressure?

“I hope ambition outweighs pressure. We don’t feel any pressure. In the group stage, I think the players felt they had a responsibility to get through. That’s disappeared, and now we have the ambition to win the tie against a great Barça team.”

“I don’t know anything about Xavi as a coach”

Is knowing Xavi an advantage?

“I hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t know anything about Xavi as a coach. I know Xavi as a teammate and Xavi as a player. I know the club and its players very well. I don’t know if it will be an advantage or a disadvantage. It will be special for me, but I am more than prepared to give my best for my team.”

Will it be a special match for you?

“It’s a different match for me. But I faced (hometown club) Sporting (Gijón) and scored against them. I’m a professional. With Barça, I have a relationship that’s full of love, and I’m proud of that. But I’m a professional and I have a duty to the club that put their trust in me. I’m really looking forward to this tie.”

How will you replace Achraf Hakimi?

“I have many options. We will have the chance to see another player in a high-level match. Instead of seeing a problem, I see an opportunity.”

Starting at home an advantage for PSG

Is it a disadvantage to play the return leg in Barcelona?

“I prefer to play at home first. At home, we will have a unique atmosphere, fans who will get behind us even if we are down. Besides, away goals no longer have extra value. If it had been the other way around, I would have answered differently. There’s no point in complaining, it doesn’t help.”

Seven Barcelona players are one yellow card away from a suspension. Can you take advantage of that?

“Some of our players too. I’m not very concerned about that. In fact, I would like to play against the best possible Barça team, and I would have liked all their injured players to play, including Gavi. My wish is to play against opponents when they are at their strongest.”

Luis Enrique on Barcelona style of play

Who represents Barcelona’s style of play better, Xavi or you?

“Me, without a doubt. Look at possession stats, titles, high pressing. Look at the data. It’s not an opinion, it’s numbers, data. It’s undebatable.”

What worries you the most about Barcelona?

“I won’t mention any weak points. Barça are in good form, on a winning streak. They have top-level players and experience. They’ve won five Champions Leagues. It will be a tough but stimulating match. Two clubs with a rivalry that I hope will be healthy in both matches. I hope to see two good games.”

Pressure off PSG in the Champions League

Are PSG under a lot of pressure in the Champions League?

“The club’s policy has changed this year. We’re on a different path. I don’t think it’s positive to burden a team that has never won the Champions League with pressure. Can we win it? Yes. But first, we have to beat Barça. As a club, we haven’t had the experience of winning this trophy.”

Are you worried about the terrorist threat?

“Who isn’t worried about that? I hope it can be controlled and that they are just threats. Of course, it’s a worry.”

Do you accept that PSG are favourites?

Even if I don’t accept it, there will be people who we are favourites. When the game starts, we’ll see who the favourite is. It will be the team who dominates territorially and is more effective. I’d almost prefer it if you’d made me the underdog.