Paris Saint-Germain’s head coach Luis Enrique remarked on Friday that his squad will continue to adapt and enhance their gameplay in the quest for future success, warning that failure to do so would mean they would be “finished”.
The European champions are set to clash with German heavyweights Bayern Munich on Saturday in the Club World Cup quarter-finals, taking place in Atlanta. The Spanish tactician emphasised that they won’t simply stick to their current strategy.
PSG previously dazzled with an attacking approach featuring three forwards on their path to Champions League victory, yet Luis Enrique indicated that a shift in strategy is anticipated.
“We will change it because teams adapt – there’s no magic in football,” Luis Enrique stated during a media briefing.
“When you break through the press, your opponent adjusts; when you create an advantage in one area, your opponent adapts. There’s no magical solution.
“No coach possesses a foolproof system or method; this is the challenge of modern football. Every coach is prepared, and all players are more physically and technically adept than ever.
“Therefore, you need to adapt, improvise, and become unpredictable to your rivals, or you’ll find yourself out of the game.“
Luis Enrique asserted that continuing to play in the same manner that delivered PSG their first treble this season would not be sufficient moving ahead.
“We can’t rely on what we accomplished last season for the upcoming one; we must evolve and refine our approach,” he added.
Bayern Munich narrowly defeated PSG 1-0 back in November during the Champions League group stages, before the French team found their form and ultimately claimed their first title in the competition.
“We have a bit of revenge to seek; we understand they’re a formidable side, but we’re much stronger now than in November,” said Ousmane Dembele, who received a red card in Munich.
“A lot has changed – the players have clearly elevated their game, I have as well, and we’re filled with confidence. We know exactly what we need to execute on the pitch; we believe we can beat any opponent,” he noted.
The 28-year-old is a leading contender for the Ballon d’Or after an outstanding season, although he has only featured briefly as a substitute in the current Club World Cup.
Dembele suffered a quadriceps injury during the Nations League in early June but made a comeback in PSG’s 4-0 victory against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
He declared he is now “100 per cent” fit, but it is up to Luis Enrique whether he will start against Bayern at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“It’s not the right time to give away any information to my opponent – we’ll see tomorrow,” Luis Enrique commented.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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