PSG boss Luis Enrique on facing Arsenal tomorrow for the UCL 1st leg of the Semi Final
28/04/2025
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
28/04/2025
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
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00:00Do you know that we're getting to a point in the
00:29competition? We're in the semifinals now the Champions League and very often the
00:33games a little bit more tightness. It's not as much place a space rather on the
00:37pitch and I guess that the players are quite stressed. What are you going to do
00:40to ensure that you are overcoming this obstacle to and to ensure that you guys
00:45are pulling out the performance that you want on the pitch tomorrow?
00:48Good afternoon. Well, really it's not going to be the semifinals of Champions. It's a
00:59game like the others. There's going to be two players, two rivals with many
01:04chances of doing well and supering one to the other. I think it's going to be
01:10key and for us it's very important in this period of the game to gestion the
01:14different moments that there will be during the same. The moments in which there is a
01:20pressure of the rival, moments in which there is a low reply, moments in which
01:24there is a low reply, moments in which there is a middle reply. I think that to
01:28know how to manage those moments and get the advantage of them is important.
01:58There are other moments where we're going to having to get down and defend. It'd be
02:03this down the back or in the midfield. We need to have a hand over all of the
02:07different elements to get the most out of the game tomorrow. That will be the
02:10most important. Thank you.
02:11In the game, do you think that Arsenal has something that Paris doesn't?
02:18Is this an opinion or a question?
02:22No, I'm not going to talk about the rival. Arsenal is one of the best
02:30teams in Europe, with a coach who has, I believe, six seasons doing a very
02:36remarkable job. And from here, I don't know if we are the four
02:41best teams in Europe, those who are in the semifinals, but I'm sure that the four
02:47we have deserved to be where we are. And from here, there are gusts. A me, my
02:52team is the most I like, evidently. That's why I am here, and from here, it will be
02:59difficult. We know what it is to play in this stadium, with this environment, with
03:03this team and with that physical intensity that it has. But, well, we accept that
03:09I can like a few more the Arsenal and a few more the Paris Saint-Germain.
03:13It's part of life.
03:20Given that it's your opinion, I don't think that I need to say anything. I don't need
03:26to give my opinion on Arsenal. In fact, if I give an opinion, I think that they're one
03:30of the best European teams at the moment. They're working with the same coach for
03:33about six or seven years now. We've seen remarkable work that has been accomplished
03:37here at Arsenal. I don't know if these are the four best teams in Europe that are in the
03:41semi-finals of the Champions League, but I do think that we all deserve our spots.
03:45And then, obviously, it's up to you. It's not everyone's cup of tea, yes or no. But
03:50what I like is what I see with PSG. And we know just how difficult it is to play
03:55against Arsenal at this stage of a competition. This is a team that is so
04:00intense physically. And I know that some people will say we prefer Arsenal. Others
04:05will say we prefer Paris. But it's just part and parcel of the game.
04:09You played Arsenal in October. What's changed between then and now?
04:15I think that we played on October 11th.
04:18I mean, in 7 months or 8 months, I don't know how many people are.
04:22Well, I think there are great differences. If you can see the game. I've seen the game
04:29of October 11th and I've seen the game, our evolution, I think, we're best. I think that we've
04:37demonstrated it throughout the game. I think that the fact that I've played in a
04:43a phase of groups so intense, we have played in the house of Arsenal 1 October and are
04:50the semifinals of Champions, we have played many games in that phase of groups that could
04:56be a Champions final, clearly, I think that at the beginning it has affected us, it has
05:02forced us to improve our level and it has been positive for long term, but it has had
05:08its risks, we have been in many days in difficulties, but it has made us stronger and now I think
05:15that we are a better team, a more complete team, we are again in the semifinals with many
05:19wishes to make history and to make history there is only one way.
05:38I have reviewed the game from the beginning of October and I have seen how far our team
05:42has come as well, I think we are better now than we showed at the beginning of the composition.
05:47I would also like to remind you that in the league we had the most intense group phases
05:53within the Champions League and now we are in the semifinal, during the pools we played
06:00games that could have been Champions League finals, this is something that for us that
06:05didn't put us in a good position after the group stages, but actually it was a positive
06:08experience because it meant that we had to pull our socks up, we had to kick things up
06:12a notch and we had to take risks, there were sticky situations, but now we are a team that
06:16is very complete and we are once again in the semifinal of the Champions League and our
06:20next objective is to rewrite history and for us there is only one way to do that.
06:25Thank you very much, so you've only won one of your last four matches, is this something
06:32that is an issue for you or is this something that is maybe a challenge?
06:51No, for me it's a positive climate.
06:53Look how nice the journey starts to us, but no I'm not worried at all.
06:57You spoke earlier about the game against Arsenal, do you think that this is now the strongest
07:07team that you've ever had to come up against? Or you also spoke about managing the highs
07:13and the lows that will be important tomorrow, how important will Vitignan be for the game tomorrow?
07:17Any player is going to be important. Who knows what player is going to be the important
07:21of Arsenal or Paris Saint Germain? It is evident that we all have, I think we are
07:26we are in a certain part, because Arsenal, the Arsenal team is formed in a global way,
07:34in a group way that you perceive clearly, the way they attack and the way they defend.
07:41All together, there are individuals of high level, like us, but I repeat, they don't depend
07:50of a single player. They have had low levels throughout the season and they have continued
07:55to win well, so I think that in this sense, we are two teams that we like.
08:00And what else have you asked me?
08:03What team is the most strong team that you have seen in the world?
08:07It is very difficult to talk about which team is the most strong team,
08:10it is one of the most strong team, it is one of the best English teams,
08:14second in their championship, throughout these three or four seasons
08:17it has always been second, or, disputing a league like the Premier,
08:22but to evaluate if it is the most strong or the most strong, who knows?
08:26I think that all players are important within a squad.
08:42So, who is the best or who is the most important Arsenal player?
08:45Who is the most important PSG player? No one knows what will happen tomorrow,
08:48but I think that Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal are actually very similar teams.
08:52Arsenal is made up of very comprehensive players, we can see that they are really strong as a squad,
08:57they are able to attack, they are able to defend and everyone gets stuck in together.
09:01Obviously we have got individual characters as well, but you have got the same thing within PSG as well.
09:06But there is not one player that we depend on.
09:09They have had players that have been missing from the squad over the course of the season
09:14and things have gone well for them, the same for us.
09:17And then, is Arsenal the best team that we have come up against?
09:20It is very difficult to say which is the best team.
09:23One of the best teams? Yes, absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt.
09:26They are the second of the Premier League at the moment,
09:29and this has been the case for maybe the last three or four seasons they are playing in the Premier League.
09:33But I don't know whether it is the best team, but it is certainly one of the best teams, so are we.
09:39France Télévision, you are in the semi-final of the Champions League now.
09:46We have got a home leg and an away leg, so six games, six defeats.
09:51You were talking about the fact that you want to rewrite history with PSG.
09:54What is the mindset within your team at the moment?
09:57Another positive one.
10:11No one speaks about the goals, or what we have marked.
10:14Pera d'arba, somos como corchos, ¿cómo se dice corcho en francés?
10:18Ambushon de qué?
10:20De liège.
10:21De liège.
10:23Podéis tirar datos negativos que yo tengo datos positivos para darle a todos.
10:30El estado de ánimo es excepcional, como el mío.
10:33Yo soy el más triste de todo mi equipo.
10:35O sea, imaginaros cómo están mis jugadores.
10:36Así que soy como...
10:38Hi.
10:40You can send everything you want.
10:42You can send everything my way.
10:44Our mindset is wonderful.
10:45And the most unhappy or sad of the whole squad is me.
10:48So just imagine what the others are doing.
10:53You have been joking a little bit.
10:55You keep joking around the climate and the way that the media treat PSG.
10:59Do you really think that there's a lot of negativity around PSG?
11:03And do you think that this...
11:04Because do you really think that there's a lot of negativity around PSG?
11:07Debo hacer una puntualización.
11:08Puede ser que esté equivocado.
11:10Yo no hablo del clima alrededor del equipo, de los aficionados, de la gente que trabajamos en el club.
11:16Eso es todo positivo.
11:17Hablo de vuestras preguntas.
11:19Preguntas siempre con el dato negativo.
11:22Pues sí, esto lo percibo.
11:23Es así.
11:24Puedo estar equivocado.
11:25No lo creo, la verdad.
11:30So let me just specify.
11:32Maybe I'm getting things wrong.
11:33But when I'm talking about the negative climate, I'm not talking about the fans or the staff within the club.
11:38But yeah, with the questions coming from the media, yeah, and even the questions that the journalists asked me, I think it is very negative.
11:45But maybe that's just me.
11:47I'm from RMC.
11:48Can you maybe talk us through how Desiree Doué is doing before the important fixture tomorrow?
11:54On the 1st of October, we asked you about set pieces because that's one of Arsenal's strengths.
11:59It's still one of Arsenal's strengths.
12:00Have you changed your mind?
12:02Do you think it's something that you need to work on as well?
12:04El estado de forma de Doué es igual que el de los demás compañeros.
12:12Están todos los jugadores disponibles.
12:14En términos de Doué, same thing as everyone, everyone's fit and ready to play.
12:18Y en la 2ª trabajamos todos los aspectos de los juegos importantes.
12:21Solo faltaría.
12:22O crees que me siento aquí porque me han regalado el carnet de entrenador?
12:26We are obviously working on all of the aspects of the game because obviously how do you think
12:36I got my license to be a coach without working on everything?
12:44What are the lessons that you learnt from the previous games and what are you going
12:50to be able to apply tomorrow for the match against Arsenal?
13:20It's quite difficult for me to compare different semifinals, if I'm being honest, that they're
13:34games that leave their mark, but we're going to start by playing a game where it's an away
13:41game for us, but once again, there are two very different opponents that will be on the
13:44pitch tomorrow.
13:45However, we're finding ourselves in a very similar moment to last season, our objective
13:50this time is to go one step further than last time.
13:52Vitinha just said that his performance wasn't as good as it usually is at the moment, so
14:02that's him being quite critical of his own performances.
14:06Do you think the same?
14:07Do you think that his performance at the moment is not as good as previously, and if so, why?
14:11When?
14:12When was he talking about his performances that have dropped? How many games? What games?
14:18He was talking about last week.
14:19Well, that's what he said Vitinha. Perfect. My opinion is, I think that being exigent is important.
14:25All the players in Paris Saint-Germain have to be. I am exigent with them. But I think that the
14:32level shown by Vitinha and the rest of the team is a high level. I think that the level
14:34shown by Vitinha and the rest of the team is a high level. I think that the level shown by
14:40Vitinha is a high level. If that's what he said, then so be it. Okay, that's how he wants
14:47to express himself. We're demanding, and we're demanding towards all of the PSG players. They're
14:51demanding with themselves, I'm demanding with them, but Vitinha and all of the players,
14:55have a very high level of play. You've often said that this type of game shouldn't be played
15:10at 150, but 100%. And recently, you spoke about striking that balance between the French
15:27Championship and the Champions League. And how do you find that balance?
15:30Well, it's complicated. It's evident that our goal is a complicated and difficult goal.
15:37We have an opportunity to take place in the field of this goal. I actually think that
15:42in our case, the best we are going to be done. We are changing a good team.
15:48We are an ambitious team, we want to make it. And to make it to make it a story
15:53we have to make something that one had done previously. So I think that
15:57that pressure is beautiful. I hope that it is not affected. And every time I see
15:59competing to my team team compete, especially in the last few weeks, especially in the
16:05and especially these last weeks in the stage in which we have competed,
16:09the team has given me confidence, has shown that it has personality, ambition.
16:15There are times where you can't be so brilliant as usual, but that is part of the day-to-day.
16:22And in that sense, I think what I perceive, and I also perceive it clearly,
16:28because I'm not going to pase it, but these days that I've had rest, I've been going to pase it by París,
16:33and what's around us is something wonderful, and nobody asks you to win the Champions League.
16:40They don't ask you to win, they're enjoying it, they're going to enjoy it, they're going to play history,
16:44we also, and that's a motivation. I think Arsenal won't have won any Champions, right?
16:50Well, one of the two teams will be in the final with the possibilities of winning.
16:52I hope we are we, but for that we have to deserve it.
17:03Obviously, it's very difficult to strike that balance.
17:09The objective is quite difficult to achieve.
17:12For this, we need to be very demanding.
17:14I think that the pressure that isn't something that we're suffocating from,
17:19it's something that we're managing quite well.
17:20We're a team that is very ambitious.
17:22When we're talking about writing history or marking history for us,
17:25it means going where no one's gone before.
17:27And I hope that this pressure is something that is going to feed into us in a positive way and not hurt us.
17:34When I look at my team and my squad and how we've been playing,
17:36I see that they're quite confident, they're demonstrating on the pitch just how ambitious they are.
17:41Obviously, there are times where we don't shine as much,
17:44but actually that's part and parcel of daily life.
17:46And what I've also seen, I'm not someone that, on my days off recently, I've gone out walking.
17:56And people are very positive when they come up to me in the streets.
18:01And they're not asking us to win in Paris.
18:03They're just asking us for a great trajectory in the Champions League.
18:07We have that motivation.
18:08We want to win.
18:09But I would like to remind you that Arsenal's not won either a Champions League before.
18:14One of us is going to win the home and away leg.
18:17And we'll get that ticket for the final of the Champions League
18:20and maybe take home the silverware.
18:22And I hope it will be PSG.
18:23Last question, please.
18:24Follow me, Zenhuke.
18:25Yes.
18:27Hi, this is John Murray from the BBC.
18:30Does it help in any way that you've knocked out English clubs in the previous two rounds,
18:35even if it's just mentally?
18:38Well, I don't know.
18:40Maybe it's a question for Mr. Arteta.
18:42But I think in terms of confidence, it's very positive for us
18:50because we could win the match against Liverpool.
18:56And Liverpool won the Premier League this year.
19:00But it doesn't mean anything because every single match is different.
19:07I have to say that everybody speaks about the Premier League like the best league in the world.
19:13I don't know if I have to agree or not.
19:16But if I agree or not.
19:18But we are full of confidence.
19:22I'm looking forward to playing in the semi-final.
19:27Do you think it is?
19:31It doesn't matter.
19:34I can say whatever.
19:36Everybody's going to criticise mine.
19:41Merci.
19:41Ok, merci.
19:42Merci.