Girona manager lauds Luis Enrique and reveals strategy for PSG

For their UEFA Champions League opener, PSG will host Girona. The Spanish side’s coach has expressed admiration for Luis Enrique's work.

PSG kicks off their Champions League campaign this Wednesday evening. The Rouge & Bleu welcome Girona, who finished a surprising third in La Liga last season and are making their Champions League debut.

Ahead of the match, Luis Enrique praised his compatriot Michel, who manages the Spanish team: “I am also a fan of Girona. Michel has shown how his team plays. I really like coaches who have the courage to play attacking football and create. I love the intensity and I don’t know what we’ll face tomorrow,” the Parisian coach said on Tuesday.

A few hours later, Michel responded to these compliments in a press conference, as reported by Le Parisien.

Girona manager lauds Luis Enrique and reveals strategy for PSG

Luis Enrique’s praise for Michel

“I cannot compare myself to Luis Enrique because he is a top coach. I have followed his successes with clubs and national teams, and he is a reference for me. He never gives up on being vertical to attack and reach the goal. It is clear that he is a coach who inspires and whom I admire.”

PSG’s start to the season

“What I see is that Luis Enrique has managed to put pressure on his team, which could have cost him more at times. Losing Mbappé is costly for any coach, but they have found solutions to fill that gap. They have won all their matches, scoring an average of four goals and conceding few. But our aim is to give our best version of ourselves and to be recognised for it. We will try to play a great match.”

Will he change his offensive philosophy for this game?

“No, we cannot change the plan! Firstly, because we don’t have the players to do so, secondly, because we haven’t trained for that, and finally because the players would kill me (laughs). For three years, we have worked to be the protagonists in the match. Of course, PSG has an average of 65% possession per game, so there will be times when we have to defend. But we will also try to steal the ball and attack. We believe that showing our best version can create opportunities.”