Luis Enrique: “What I enjoy most is making Parisian fans happy”
Perform
PSG could all but seal the Ligue 1 title this Sunday if they beat Brest at the Parc des Princes. A victory would put them six points clear of Lens with just six points left to play for, and they visit Lens on May 13 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis – a match that could definitively decide the league championship.
However, despite that immediate horizon, one of the most talked-about images from the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich still lingers. In the pre-match press conference ahead of the Brest clash, a journalist asked Luis Enrique about the alleged instruction given to Matvei Safonov to send the vast majority of his goal kicks straight out of play and toward Michael Olise’s flank.
Nevertheless, Luis Enrique kept the mystery alive regarding the Russian keeper’s goal kicks and refused to admit the orders came from the sidelines. “The important thing, and what the fans want, is for their team to win,” the PSG coach responded. “I think they like our style of play. After every game we talk about details, about the small things that matter. I have no intention of giving information to the rival,” he added.
The tactic, as explained in France, aimed to neutralize Bayern’s high press. The order to Safonov was reportedly to direct the ball toward the sideline, in a very specific area just a few meters beyond the center line. The goal was not simply to give away possession but to condition Bayern’s subsequent throw-in and allow PSG’s block to push forward.
Was this Luis Enrique’s idea? With that sequence, PSG gained yards without exposing themselves in their own box. The team installed pressure in the opponent’s half and reduced the chance of Bayern quickly finding their most dangerous players. Michael Olise was one of those most affected, unable to shine at the Allianz as he had at the Parc des Princes.
“We try to play in the way we believe is best to win the match. Regarding the Bayern game, I am very proud of what I saw, of how we fought throughout the entire match,” he insisted.
Whatever the case, Luis Enrique’s plan worked, and his PSG is in a fantastic moment: Ligue 1 within reach, a Champions League final on the horizon, and a coach willing to explore every competitive edge – even the most unconventional ones – to gain an advantage. And if a goal kick that goes out of bounds can gain twenty meters, cool the opponent, and bring another final closer, that too is part of the plan.
