Paris Saint-Germain’s coach, Luis Enrique, has described the upcoming match against Inter Miami as an “emotional” reunion with former player Lionel Messi, ahead of their Club World Cup meeting this Sunday.
The legendary Argentine forward made his move to PSG in 2021 from Barcelona, where Luis Enrique previously managed him and several other current Inter Miami players.
Messi departed the French club in 2023, coinciding with the arrival of the Spanish coach, after winning two Ligue 1 titles, though he was unable to secure the coveted Champions League trophy for the club.
Under Luis Enrique’s guidance, PSG achieved European success this season by defeating Inter Milan to claim the trophy for the first time on May 31.
“This match holds a special emotional significance for me and for the club, especially for those players who have played alongside Messi,” Luis Enrique remarked during a press conference on Saturday.
He also expressed his enthusiasm over facing Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano—individuals he coached at Barcelona during their treble-winning season in 2015.
“It’s wonderful to reconnect with these players, who are more than just athletes to me. It will be a special moment both prior to and following the match,” he added as the teams prepared to meet in Atlanta.
Luis Enrique noted that the presence of Messi could serve as a driving force for his PSG side, who are seen as top contenders in the tournament.
“If we struggle to win the ball back, we could face difficulties, because Busquets still possesses the same quality, and having Messi on the ball is something truly unique,” he commented.
“And then there’s Luis Suarez—just look at his last goal… Plus, they have a coach like Mascherano...
“This is a significant motivation for us. We recently secured the Champions League, yet we remain eager to demonstrate our potential for improvement and our desire to compete.
“There’s no finer venue to showcase that than in this magnificent stadium against a team featuring someone like Leo Messi, a revered figure not just for Barcelona fans but for all who appreciate his talents.”
No Room for Complacency
Luis Enrique confirmed that star PSG forward Ousmane Dembele had participated in training this week but stated he would “not take any chances” with the French winger ahead of the last-16 clash at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Following Botafogo’s shock victory over PSG in the group stage and Inter Miami’s unexpected 2-1 win over Porto, Luis Enrique urged his players to stay focused.
“In competitions like these, and from my experience with the Spanish national team, there’s absolutely no room for error,” he asserted.
“You cannot have a lapse in concentration or become overly confident—you must avoid making mistakes because 90 minutes can pass by rapidly. It’s crucial that we establish our game plan from the outset; that is our goal.”
He emphasised that the key to containing Messi lies in a collective effort rather than relying on individual players.
“Messi can weave past any defender,” Luis Enrique added.
“If we want to neutralise Leo Messi, it’s vital we have a team effort; relying solely on one player would be a mistake—we need a collective approach.“
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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