Luis Enrique backs a PSG side able to make its own decisions before Manchester City

Paris Saint-Germain are preparing to face Manchester City away on Wednesday evening in the second matchday of the first round of the Champions League. Ahead of the fixture, Luis Enrique has restated what he wants from his team: understanding and initiative, rather than mechanical obedience to instructions.

“I don’t want to be a coach who constantly gives orders and tells players what they have to do. They must understand the game so they can make the best decision at every moment. That is essential,” the PSG coach said. His philosophy calls for a team able to adapt and make its own choices, rather than one that relies continually on directions from the touchline.

That demand is part of a broader outlook. Luis Enrique says he does not intend to rest on what he has already achieved with the club. In his view, every success brings added responsibility. “I have extended my contract, and now I feel more pressure to prove that I am ready to continue and that I want to win more titles with Paris Saint-Germain,” he said.

He does not regard the satisfaction expressed by people around him as a reason to ease off. “I am not calmer or more relaxed simply because people tell me they are very happy,” he said. He also spoke of the pleasure he takes in seeing his work bear fruit and sharing moving moments with those affected and their families, while stressing that he must earn the trust placed in him.

Luis Enrique also stands by his own method, with no intention of adding to his honours simply to surpass others. He summed up his guiding principles with two questions: “Is this how I want my team to play? Is this how I want them to lose, if they have to lose?” He acknowledges his experience but does not see it as proof that he is always right; he believes he can still improve.

Previously the coach of Barcelona, he also praised Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Luis Campos, while discussing the reasons for his success. Despite the many titles he has won since taking charge of the club, his remarks reflect standards that remain high. He also stressed how much the respect shown to him by Paris Saint-Germain supporters matters, including on a personal level.