Paris St Germain are just a draw away from clinching their fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title as they prepare to face Angers this Saturday. Coach Luis Enrique, who is driven by the pursuit of higher ambitions, is excited about the possibility of becoming the first manager to lead a team to an unbeaten season in the league.
With seven matches remaining to achieve this historic Ligue 1 feat, PSG are also working towards securing their first Champions League title, with Aston Villa visiting for the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday.
“Records weren’t a priority for me until now, but naturally, aiming to remain unbeaten this season is something we desire,” Luis Enrique expressed to journalists on Friday.
“Our goal is not just to be champions; we aim to be competitive and perform at a high level. We’re keen to enhance our records and statistics.
“There’s always room for improvement. Both individually and collectively, the players can advance. We are striving to train in a way that manifests in our performances. We have made adjustments. Since it’s a collective sport, reaching the top tier is quite challenging.”
While the 54-year-old acknowledged that his immediate focus is on Angers, currently sitting in 14th place, he also took a moment to praise former PSG manager Unai Emery’s Villa, who are riding high on a six-match winning streak across all competitions before taking on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this Saturday.
“I’m well aware of Unai Emery’s skill in analysing opponents and strengthening his teams. He’s a top-notch coach and has demonstrated his capabilities at various clubs,” said Luis Enrique.
“We understand the kind of challenge we’ll face. Last season, they performed at an excellent level, and I believe they are an even stronger outfit this year.”
‘EXTRA MOTIVATION’
The former Barcelona and Spain manager, Luis Enrique, also had a close-up view of the new Club World Cup trophy, which is on a promotional tour ahead of the expansion to a 32-team edition launching in June.
No French team has ever claimed the Club World Cup title.
“As the sole French representative in the competition, we take that as an extra motivation,” Luis Enrique remarked.
PSG’s quest for European glory has been challenging, having lost the Champions League final in the 2019-20 season and facing elimination in the semi-finals by Borussia Dortmund last season.
“Perfection isn’t always attainable. We will experience challenges, and concentration may falter at times. That has been a consistent theme throughout my coaching career,” Luis Enrique noted.
“Our aim is to demonstrate our competitiveness, and we have been competitive in Europe for several years.
“We aspire to be an exceptional team on the global stage.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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