Luis Enrique warns PSG ahead of Champions League debut against Bratislava

Luis Enrique sounded the alarm on Tuesday at a press conference, twenty-four hours before Paris Saint-Germain’s first Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava (Wednesday, 9 p.m., Parc des Princes). Defending European champions, PSG enters this European campaign in a delicate context: four matches without a win in Ligue 1, including a home defeat to Monaco (1-2) on matchday three.

The Spanish manager immediately refused to downplay the Slovak opposition. “It’s the most difficult competition. How many teams can win it? Six, eight, five. The difference is very small. We’re looking to make a very good start. We’re going to play an apparently easy match but there are no easy matches. You have to stay focused,” he said.

Beyond this single match, Luis Enrique highlighted two priority areas for improvement for his squad: offensive efficiency and the ability to maintain concentration over the course of the match. “I’m calm but we need to improve, stay more focused. Football isn’t a fair sport where you deserve more than your opponent and the result doesn’t come. We need to improve our efficiency and our ability to stay focused,” he continued.

On the objectives in the new league phase, the manager set a clear target while underlining the difficulty of the task: “I put pressure on all the time. I’d like to be in the top eight and avoid the playoffs. But against this type of opponent, you’re going to lose points and it will be difficult to qualify, not just in the top 8 but also in the top 24.”

Finally, when asked about the title won last season, Luis Enrique dismissed any temptation to rely on it. “The past is the past, you have to renew your driving licence every year. Everyone is excited to play against us. You have to accept it and get out of our comfort zone.” A clear message to a dressing room that will need to quickly rediscover its European level.