Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique shrugged off talk of his physique of workers being the favorite against Aston Villa forward of their Champions League quarterfinal match on Wednesday.
While PSG has been a standard in the last eight since cash-rich Qatari investor QSI offered the club 14 years ago, and reached the semifinals last season, Villa has not been on this stage of the competition since 1983 — a year after a hit the European Cup.
“Folks acknowledged we had no chance against Liverpool (in the spherical of 16), so in my tips there is rarely this kind of thing as favorites,” Luis Enrique said at a news conference Tuesday. “It is a extraordinarily beginning and never easy match for every facet. I do know this may possibly be intense.”
PSG wrapped up a document-extending 13th Ligue 1 title on Saturday with six video games to spare. Villa is pushing for a top-five conclude in the Premier League to gain support in the Champions League and is on a seven-game a hit drag heading to Paris for the first leg.
Luis Enrique, who guided Barcelona to the treble in 2015, is bracing himself for a tactical headache against a Villa facet coached by Spanish countryman Unai Emery.
“Their solid level is their versatility, so it’s laborious to identify how they’re going to play. They can play with a low block (and) they tell the ball out brilliantly,” he said. “Their supreme power is how they assault from the support and reach the second line of assault swiftly. It then becomes very laborious to private when groups are breaking from midfield.”
Emery is a revered opponent from the days when both men private been coaching in Spain. Emery acquired the Europa League a document four times — three with Sevilla and one with Villarreal — and guided unheralded Villarreal to the Champions League semifinals in 2022.
“He deserves extra recognition because he’s a immense coach with limitless energy,” Luis Enrique said. “He doubtlessly already knows everything I am planning to construct.”
For his section, Emery used to be rotund of reward for PSG, describing the French physique of workers — which he coached from 2016-18 — as one of the four favorites to secure the Champions League with Exact Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
“We face PSG after they beat Liverpool, who I reflect private been the favorites forward of, and they beat them playing improbable soccer,” Emery acknowledged.
“How we face them, how we point out our potential and doable to reply to everything they build a query to of us, tactically, for my section, with the gamers they private, is a mountainous discipline for me and for my gamers.”
Villa would possibly well perhaps line up with attacking midfielder Marco Asensio, who is on mortgage from PSG. So Luis Enrique used to be requested if he has an venture with the truth Asensio is free to face PSG.
“On the contrary, I am gay that Marco can play,” he said. “I do know him perfectly successfully, he’s a player of the most sensible probably stage, with immense technical potential.”
Even though PSG is unbeaten in home soccer this season, the last three suits private all considered sloppy first-half performances. Luis Enrique appeared unnerved when his facet fell 2-0 down inner the first half-hour against second-tier Dunkerque last week in a French Cup semifinal, and he warned his gamers about lapses in concentration.
“The Champions League would not assist you swap off for one second,” he said. “You doubtlessly can not reach the quarterfinal with out being utterly focused.”
PSG will most seemingly be with out captain Marquinhos because of suspension for the first leg, and the protection remains at chance of dwelling-objects and corners.
They can even private to gain past Villa’s increased-than-lifestyles goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who traveled to Paris on Tuesday carrying a cap that gave the affect to designate a rooster — a French nationwide designate — together with trophies he has acquired with Argentina’s nationwide physique of workers. Martinez used to be the goalkeeper when Argentina beat France on penalties in the World Cup last in 2022.
“He’s used, he’s responsible,” Emery acknowledged of Martinez. “He’s getting better controlling his emotions.”
