Mbappé, Style of Play, Egos, Transfer Market: Luis Enrique’s First Words with PSG
Luis Enrique is the new coach of PSG: he has already faced several questions and has been quite diplomatic about Kylian Mbappé.
In French, his introduction: « Bonjour. First of all, I want to thank the club, the president, and the sporting director for their trust. I am delighted to be here. I hope to repay that trust. I don’t speak French, but I have started studying it. » Then in Spanish: « I am truly thrilled to be here as the coach of Paris Saint-Germain. I am eager to learn a new language, get to know a wonderful city, and an incredible country. I am really looking forward to it, as much as my coaching staff. »
An attacking style of play: « My idea of football is about attack, offensive football, entertaining for the fans, and most importantly, a style of play that yields good results. That’s my challenge. I have the support of the club. I believe the fans will really enjoy what’s to come. »
The new campus: « I think I’m the first person to have slept at the Training Center, I believe. It’s a wonderful place, perfectly suited for the players. It’s comfortable, without necessarily being luxurious, that’s not the goal. The conditions are good. »
Managing egos already: « My style is how I live day-to-day. Probably because of my experience as a player, I’ve been at Barcelona, I’ve coached big clubs, I’ve had stars. Football players are selfish and intelligent. They commit to you if they know you’re there to help them. You need to provide them a stage for them to give their best. »
Luis Enrique relies on players under contract: « I count on all the players who have valid contracts and on the players we are trying to acquire at the moment. The transfer market is constantly moving. I think we will have a great team, I’m sure of it. What we discuss with Luis Campos and the president remains between us. »
The transfer market: « Of course, we have talked about it. Some players have finished their contracts even before I was in communication with the club. But since the start of negotiations, we have been working hand in hand. Having someone like Luis Campos managing and negotiating is a good thing. We work hand in hand. (…) I have confidence in this club, it’s a club that wants to win. Just look at the facilities. I think we have chosen the right coach for this project and we will all be on the same page. When we talk about a club as big as PSG, it’s difficult for some players. But my experience so far has been very positive. »
The pressure of the Champions League: « I love pressure. (…) Just because our competitors have more experience doesn’t mean we can’t match them. The Champions League is an objective for us. Being ambitious is a very positive thing in life. We want to bring out the best version of the team, it’s a challenge, but I fully embrace it. »
Young players will get their chance: « PSG has a youth academy and has invested a lot in young players. These young players are very lucky. I am one of those coaches who trusts young players. I want them to commit. I don’t know all the players in the world, but I am very eager to see these young players. I encourage them to have immeasurable ambition. I love that, I love giving them a chance. »