PSG Focused on Dominance in Champions League Playoff

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has made it clear his team will not settle for protecting their narrow lead against AS Monaco in the second leg of their Champions League playoff. Despite securing a 3-2 victory in the first leg, Enrique insists his side will approach the return fixture at the Parc des Princes with a relentless attacking mindset.

“There is no result to defend, there is a match to win,” Enrique stated emphatically at Tuesday’s press conference. He acknowledged Monaco’s position, stating, Monaco will start the match with a goal behind. You have to know that there will be difficult moments. But he stressed the importance of maintaining their usual approach.

Learning from First Leg Struggles

Enrique highlighted the importance of a strong start, referencing a shaky beginning in the first leg where PSG found themselves trailing 2-0. He noted that falling behind early can often lead to catastrophic results, but praised his team’s resilience in overcoming adversity.

“Look at the actions during the first 20 minutes and you lose 2-0 away, normally you end in a catastrophic way. But we showed that we have the ability to overcome the difficulties. The most key thing is to know how to manage the way we play. The best situation for tomorrow is to play the match as if it were the first. We want to win the match and deserve to win it.”

Luis Enrique

He emphasized the need to improve and approach the match as if it were the first encounter between the two sides.

Squad Updates and Availability

Concerns remain over the fitness of Ousmane Dembélé and Fabian Ruiz, both of whom have been dealing with injuries. Enrique indicated that players who haven’t participated in pre-match training are unlikely to feature in the game, prioritizing player safety.

AS Monaco, however, will receive a boost with the return of Maghnes Akliouche, Vanderson, and Mawissa to the squad.

Doué on PSG’s Momentum

Désiré Doué, who scored twice in the first leg, echoed Enrique’s sentiments, emphasizing the team’s ability to bounce back from setbacks. He stated, We especially kept the positive from this match and our ability to reach back in a match where we were down 2-0 away. Especially in the Champions League, at a very high level. We have to do the same thing again tomorrow.

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