Luis Enrique Addresses PSG's Champions League Draw Prospects
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the upcoming Champions League draw, where his team could face either Chelsea or Barcelona in the last-16 stage. Following PSG's 2-2 draw with Monaco in the second leg of their play-off tie on Wednesday night, which secured a 5-4 aggregate victory, Enrique emphasized the challenge ahead.
Enrique's Comments on Potential Opponents
When asked about the possibility of playing his former club Barcelona or Chelsea, Luis Enrique told Movistar: 'Neither will be easy. Since it doesn’t depend on me, I’ll adapt to whatever comes. They are two incredible teams.' He added a personal note about Barcelona, saying, 'Barca is very special to me and is already becoming a classic for me. Like Manchester City and Real Madrid. Barcelona is a unique city and the club is special.' Regarding Chelsea, he stated, 'And if we get Chelsea, we’ll have a few things to work on.'
PSG's Readiness for High-Pressure Fixtures
In his post-match press conference, Enrique highlighted that PSG's tough Champions League group phase has prepared his players for high-pressure matches. 'We deserved this qualification but it was difficult because for me the result was complicated, it was a tricky match,' he said. 'There are moments when you lose precision and it’s difficult to recover the level. We have to be happy with what we did, with having overcome this difficult moment.'
Enrique further explained, 'What I can say is that if there’s one team in the Champions League that played against the toughest group, it’s us. We’re used to playing against any team. Of course, we want to improve, but we faced a very high-level opponent. Chelsea or Barca would be tough, but if there’s one team that’s ready, it’s us.'
Looking Ahead to the Champions League Draw
The Champions League draw is scheduled for 11am on Friday, and PSG will discover their opponent for the last-16 stage. Enrique expressed confidence in his squad's ability to handle the challenges ahead, noting, 'We have to keep doing the same thing, we’re ready to play any team, in any competition.' He also addressed injury concerns, saying, 'It’s been a unique season, we’ve had a lot of injured players. That’s not an excuse, but it’s important to have the whole squad available. There are three months of competition left, and we have the same mentality to go out and win.'
Other Premier League Teams in the Champions League Draw
The draw will also determine the opponents for other Premier League clubs in the last-16 stage:
- Arsenal will play either Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta
- Chelsea will play either Newcastle United or PSG
- Liverpool will play either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
- Man City will play either Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid
- Tottenham will play either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
- Newcastle United will play either Chelsea or Barcelona
As the Champions League knockout phase approaches, Luis Enrique and PSG are focused on maintaining their competitive edge, regardless of the draw's outcome.
