PARIS : Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique was full of praise for his former LaLiga rival Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash against the Spanish side.
Last year’s semi-finalists PSG and quarter-finalists Atletico have had a lacklustre start in the new Champions League format, both having only one win after three games.
A home victory would boost PSG, currently 19th with four points, while Atletico, languishing in 27th place on three, are aiming to rebound after back-to-back losses.
PSG have never faced Atletico in the European Cup before but Luis Enrique’s Barcelona, who he managed from 2014 to 2017, defeated Diego Simeone’s Atletico side nine times in their 14 meetings, drawing twice and losing three times.
Luis Enrique led Barca to a Champions League-LaLiga double in 2014-15 followed by another league title the next year.
“We’ve played against each other as players and then as managers. I admire Simeone, when a coach can stay for so many years at a top club it means he is great because that is such a difficult thing to do,” Luis Enrique told reporters on Tuesday.
Argentine Simeone has managed Atletico for 13 years, guiding them to two LaLiga and two Europa League titles but the Madrid side had considered hiring Luis Enrique prior to Simeone.
“I had given my word to another club. If I had gone to Atleti, I would not have stayed half as long as Simeone because I don’t have the energy as him,” added Luis Enrique.
“They are lucky to have found Simeone as a coach. You need a lot of energy, to be able to convince all your players over the long-term.”
RESULTS UNDESERVED
The Spaniard said he was satisfied with PSG’s previous performances and added that their results were undeserved.
“I would settle for repeating the statistics obtained in our draw with PSV Eindhoven (1-1) and win against Girona (1-0), with different results,” he said. They also lost 2-0 at Arsenal.
PSG, without former talisman Kylian Mbappe who joined Real Madrid in the close season, have just two goals in their three Champions League games.
“I have no doubt we can improve in defence and attack, whether it is with the defender duos of Marquinhos and Willian Pacho, or Milan Skriniar and Lucas Beraldo, or in the midfield,” Luis Enrique said.
“I understand you want to discuss individual players, but we analyse things from a broader perspective.
“What interests me is to always generate goalscoring opportunities and to arrive in the penalty area because you have managed to be stronger than your opponent. That is my objective as a coach: to always generate opportunities”
Close-season signing Matvey Safonov, who kept a clean sheet in their opening win against Girona, might replace number one goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose mistakes proved costly at Arsenal and against PSV.
“You will find out tomorrow. After a good cup of cappuccino, I will decide who the goalkeeper is,” Enrique added.
