Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique is looking forward to a reunion with Pep Guardiola in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The French league leaders sit top of Ligue 1 but are in danger of missing out on the next phase of Europe’s elite.
They sit just seven points, one behind City ahead of their meeting at the Parc des Princes.
And although the stakes are high in the fight, Enrique seemed more excited than nervous in his pre-match press conference.
He said: “Tomorrow will be a special match. Not only because of its importance for both teams, but also because I will meet a friend with whom I have shared some great moments.
“It’s great to see Pep again. What unites us is the way we see football, to constantly press, to keep the ball more than our opponents.
“Of course there are nuances, but I think our original philosophy is similar. I feel very lucky to be his friend and to have been his teammate. I think he brought a new way of playing to England.
Luis Enrique spoke to PSG TV on the eve of the match against City! 🎙️
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 21, 2025
“Last season we had to fight until the last day to get out of our group. I think in the last two seasons, we have faced tough opponents in the group stage. But what I see in my team gives me confidence and makes me very optimistic.
“It’s a very important game and everyone has to be ready, both the coach and the team. I think both teams will try to develop their best weapons.
“With the new format of the Champions League, nobody could predict where Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain would be. We still don’t know how many points we will need to qualify for the next round, but maybe after this round we will find out.”
Enrique has bolstered his attacking options ahead of the match with the arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The former Napoli winger joins to provide competition for Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola in wide areas.
But the PSG boss says the Georgian forward can play in the front row and that will show from his first appearance for the club.
He added: “Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a player who showed his skills in Napoli and with the national team of Georgia. He can play on the flanks, in the center, up front… He is a player who adapts to our system. He is also involved defensively, which fits our idea of football.
“We set our game with that in mind. We hope that, with the support of our fans, we will be able to get better, even though we know it will be difficult. We have all the ingredients for tomorrow’s game to be a great football match. May the best team win and I hope it’s Paris Saint-Germain.”
