PSG manager Luis Enrique gave an official club interview discussing reasons for his contract extension, the team's Champions League objectives, and his relationships with players, management, and fans. This is the first part of that exclusive interview.

Coach, I want to start with a French saying: "Love only lasts three years." This often applies to coaches, but it doesn't seem to apply to you and PSG.

I hope that saying isn't true. Does love only last three years?

It's a French saying about love, about the feelings between a couple...

Why only three years?

It means a relationship only lasts three years. But this saying hasn't proven true for you; you've shown it doesn't apply.

Okay. This is the first time, right?

Yes.

In my coaching career, this is the first time I've felt this way for three years. It's not easy. As a coach, staying for two, three, four years, or even longer is very difficult because you're constantly working, always preparing everything important for the team.

I remember times when I wanted to stop and think for a moment, but you always have something to worry about. You win a match, and ten minutes later, you're already thinking about the next opponent, no matter their level. If it's a top team, it's even more motivating. But you're always worried about losing, about the team not performing well.

As a coach, these emotions are hard for me to manage. So coaching long-term is difficult, at least for me. But Paris is different; Paris is special. Everything we experience in Paris is truly special. From the first few days I arrived, this place has been very special to me, so we keep going. We keep moving forward and keep trying to improve.

So your decision to stay was comprehensive, considering interpersonal relationships, competitive aspects, personal factors, and so on.

Of course. The trust from the club, the president, and Luis Campos, plus the relationship I've had with Luis Campos since day one, is very special. It's an excellent combination. We all work together, hoping to continue improving ourselves and enjoying what we do, while also meeting the support of our fans. Ultimately, the fans are our greatest motivation.

May I show you a video?

Of course.

This is your first interview when you joined the club. Let's listen to some things you said back then, and then we'll talk. It's great to revisit this video today because you also spoke about trust back then.

That's what gives me confidence as a coach. I said something back then... I didn't know what the results would be, because no one knows the final outcome. But will we lose? Yes, we will lose. Even with more possession than our opponent, we will lose matches. We will stick to this style of play, even if we lose matches or fail to advance in the World Cup or European Championship.

I think that's what you can see and feel in that interview. And I'm very confident that this style of play is the best way to win. Usually I also make mistakes, but Paris is different.

There's understanding here, expectations from the fans, and the team's desire to develop, plus mutual trust. We're also fortunate to have players like these. When I propose various player options to Luis Campos and whether they fit our team's style of play, he trusts me.

Because, in my view, a brave and great sporting director should bring players who suit the coach's philosophy, not just players who align with his own ideas. Of course, in our case, his philosophy and mine are similar. But that's more or less the key. Then, of course, there's the club's ability to bring in great players, like we have now.

Specifically for this season, is there a record you want to achieve or break? I'm also thinking about reaching the quarterfinals in Europe—why not? Is this also motivation for you for the new season?

Of course. However, there's something interesting about this. In the first year, no one thought we could win the Champions League. In the second year, at the start of the season, no one believed either; everyone thought: "Impossible, they can't win the Champions League again." Then we won two consecutive titles.

That's how people are. Now, if you ask every Paris resident, whether they like football or not, and ask them: "Who will win the Champions League this year?" They'll all say: "PSG."

No, no. This is truly remarkable. It must be understood that the assessment in the first year wasn't accurate, and the same goes for the second year, and also for the third. No, no. There are many teams—six, seven, eight teams—that could win this Champions League.

We are one of them, but it will be very difficult; we're not absolute favorites. This is a balance I need to maintain, because there's a lot of talk about our club. Whether the situation is positive or negative, it's always necessary to stay rational.

Continuing with the Champions League, I'm also thinking about two upcoming matches against two very strong clubs: Manchester City and Barcelona. But I know you, and this is the kind of challenge you really enjoy.

We're preparing properly for matches like these. All the players, all the coaches, we're more motivated than our opponents because we have a chance to equal the record held by Real Madrid. This is special motivation. We'll play away against Manchester City next, and then Barcelona at home. Both of these teams have won the Champions League before and are also contenders for the title.

Ligue 1 this season also shows you that no season is exactly the same, because the competition is very intense. We're also seeing teams fighting for higher positions in the table. This motivates you too.

No matter what stage it is, it's not easy for me. There's no easy Ligue 1 season. We've won the title in the last three seasons, but it wasn't easy. There's a saying I often hear. Every time I talk to a coach or player coming to Ligue 1, they say: "I used to hear it was easy here, but in reality, it's not easy at all."

The physical and technical ability of Ligue 1 players keeps improving, and matches are always difficult. I can't remember an away match that was easy. Maybe one or two in the first three years, but all other matches were difficult. I think it's important to maintain that level of competition, because it helps us keep improving.

You often say you want to make history. But what does that mean to you? Because it's more than just winning trophies, winning a final; it's something more than that.

When we came here, the first objective was to make history. Everyone knows what that means—winning important trophies. For us, there's no trophy more important than the Champions League. We've won two consecutive titles, but this isn't the time to stop now.

This applies to me as a coach, and also to all the players. Because when you're a top-level player, one of your main characteristics is always wanting to win. I want to win matches, even a match against a lower-ranked opponent tonight, I want to win. Tomorrow, I want to win in training, and tomorrow I also want to win in England. The goal is always to win, to keep winning.

I'm not constantly thinking about how many matches we'll ultimately win. We want to win important trophies, but we also know that it's impossible to win forever. All sorts of situations can happen. In these special moments, it's difficult to keep winning, but that's also what motivates us.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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