Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique praised his side’s ability to adapt after they beat Barcelona 4-2 at home in the third round of the Champions League group stage.
The victory was PSG’s third consecutive Champions League win against Barcelona, but Luis Enrique said the match had been as difficult as he expected.
“I saw exactly the kind of game I expected – very difficult and very complex,” he told Movistar+. “Unless you play against them yourself, you really can’t truly appreciate the real level of a team like Barcelona.”
PSG made an excellent start, winning possession high up the pitch and limiting Barcelona’s influence despite the visitors’ quality.
Luis Enrique said his team controlled the first half particularly well, but admitted Barcelona took charge for a spell after the interval.
“We went through a tough 10 to 15 minutes where Barcelona controlled the game better and forced us to defend more,” he said. “But then we regained our rhythm, took the lead, and that settled us down.”
The PSG manager said the ability to respond to changing demands during a match would be essential if his team were to compete for major honours.
“To win important games and titles, especially against opponents at your level or higher, you must learn to adapt to different situations within a match,” he said.
Although PSG had to retreat and defend for a period, Luis Enrique felt they remained dangerous on the counter-attack.
“We still maintained a significant threat because we have very strong transition and quick counter-attacking capabilities,” he added. “That is the key to knowing how to adapt during a game.”
He also recalled matches from last season, including the meeting with Bayern Munich, when PSG had been required to defend with determination against a top-level opponent.
Asked whether the result suggested PSG were still a level above most teams in Europe, Luis Enrique rejected the suggestion that his side should consider themselves superior.
“That would be falling into a trap, if we ever think we are the best or unique,” he said.
Instead, he highlighted the defensive contribution of PSG’s forwards, particularly their work in recovering possession in Barcelona’s half.
He said stopping players such as Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez and Olmo required “coordinated cover defense”, adding that it would otherwise be “simply impossible to stop them”.
Luis Enrique also pointed out that Barcelona were restricted to two goals while PSG maintained their expected attacking output.
The result retained a personal significance for him, despite being his third successive victory over Barcelona.
“You all know I’m a Barcelona fan, but obviously, I’m more of a professional coach, and I thoroughly enjoy winning with the team I manage,” he said.
