Paris Saint-Germain‘s head coach Luis Enrique has heaped praise on Liverpool‘s Arne Slot, lauding his ability to craft “an almost perfect” team. PSG head into their two-legged showdown on the back of an impressive 10-game winning streak and remaining undefeated across all competitions since their Champions League loss to Bayern Munich in November. But Enrique has begun the mind games by heaping pressure on Liverpool and hailing their Dutch manager’s achievements.
Addressing the media, the ex-Barcelona boss said: “We know we are up against the most consistent team since the start of the season but our plan does not change. It could have been difficult, in one season, to improve on the work done by Jurgen Klopp but he has managed to build an almost-perfect team that can play impressive football.”
“They press without any problems and they are dangerous in attack.They have a lot of top-level players. They are a really complete team. All of that is obvious but that is also a source of motivation for us. This match is an opportunity for us to show that we are also at a high level.”
PSG’s journey to this point hasn’t been without its challenges; they were knocked out by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals last season and have been eliminated at this stage in five of the last eight seasons. A surprising 15th-placed finish in the new-format league table led to a play-off against fellow Ligue 1 side Brest, which PSG breezed past.
However, this lower ranking means they now face a formidable Liverpool side that has only suffered three defeats across all competitions this season.
They approach the match with a solid track record at Parc des Princes, having triumphed in 14 of their 18 home games this season. However, they have slipped in nine out of the last 30 European games in Paris, and when it comes to clashes with English clubs, their record shows only three home wins in nine attempts, and five victories across 18 matches both at home and away.
Enrique added: “It will be intense. On paper, it is one of the best matches you can watch in Europe. They’re one of the best teams in terms of counter-attacking. We have to be careful that we don’t suffer from their transitions. They have three fighter jets in attack, it’s not easy to stop them if we don’t impose our game on them.
“We will need the ball. Maybe we’re not as tough physically but we are one of the best teams in possession in Europe. The first game will not determine who gets through. If we were to lose at home and then win (and qualify) at Anfield, of course I would take that.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk