PSG’s Luis Enrique issues defiant warning to Bayern Munich ahead of UCL semifinal showdown: “There is no better team than ours”

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique spoke to the media on the eve of the first leg of the Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich. The Spaniard, who faces a team he has yet to beat as PSG coach in Europe, with two defeats in two games, said “there is no better team than ours” when asked about Paris being considered favorites, and stressed that he will not compromise: PSG will go out to win both the first leg and the return game.

Luis Enrique on PSG ambition

Asked whether PSG are as big as Real Madrid or Bayern, he said: “That’s up to you. What I can say is that it’s a pleasure, and I think it’s deserved, to be in three straight Champions League semifinals. In the first semifinal against Dortmund, we hit the woodwork six times. Dortmund won both games and deserved to reach the final. We’re happy with what we’ve done. But to be here for this long, you need to be very ambitious. And we are. We want to go further.”

On whether there is no better team than PSG, Luis Enrique said: “There is no better team than PSG. And I say that after we didn’t qualify for the last 16 as group winners. I already said it. There is no better team than us. We have a lot of respect for great teams, just as we did with Liverpool and Chelsea. It will be a thrilling semifinal.”

PSG starting XI

On his starting lineup, he said: “Tomorrow will be a lottery. Everyone is ready. It doesn’t matter which player is on the pitch. Tomorrow I’ll do what I always do: pick the best players to start the game. And, be careful, to win the semifinal, we will need every player who can play. In that sense, we’re more than ready.”

On the key to the game, he said: “I think it’s the other way around. If there are teams that attack well, you have to know how to defend. The key? It will be attacking in the best possible way and knowing how to defend against this kind of team. What is clear is that it’s an attractive game for all football fans. And both teams are having a good season.”

On PSG’s improvement at the end of the season, Luis Enrique said: “All coaches try to reach the final part of the season in the best possible condition. We’re in the semifinals and all the players are ready. The rest are ready. Everyone wants to play. And we want to enjoy these knockout ties. Whether you arrive in better or worse shape depends on a lot of things. It isn’t down to chance. We’re happy to be here.”

Luis Enrique on UCL favorites

On the optimism around the team, he said: “The fans have confidence. That’s positive. For me, there are no favorites in these games. It was the same against Chelsea and Liverpool, when we weren’t favorites either. When you get to these games, the small details will be important. You have to be ready for any scenario. We deserve to be here. We have confidence. But, at the same time, we know how difficult it is to play against Bayern.”

Asked whether Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes would have to defend more because of Michael Olise and Luis Díaz, he replied: “What do you think? Do you think we won the Champions League with Nuno and Achraf defending? They’re two players who defend very well, but you have to attack more than defend to win. We’ll try to do that tomorrow. You have to know how to defend. But we don’t compromise. We want to win this game and the second one as well.”

On Olise and Vincent Kompany, Luis Enrique said: “I love all Bayern’s players. They are very good individually and collectively. As a team, they have already shown their level. Kompany is a top-level coach and he already showed that in England.”

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