Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique says topping the Champions League league phase and scoring 20 goals in their opening four matches will count for little unless his side retain the trophy for a third successive season.
His comments came after PSG’s emphatic 6-0 win away to Villarreal at La Ceramica in the fourth round of the league phase.
The French club moved to the top of the standings with another commanding performance, but Luis Enrique insisted that the early table is not the measure by which his team will ultimately be judged.
“This does not count for much,” the Spanish coach said. “There will be only one champion in the final in Madrid, and our objective is to win the title there.
“In previous seasons, we won the Champions League without finishing in the top eight of the league phase.”
PSG’s victory in Spain maintained their strong start to this season’s competition, while their total of 20 goals after four matches underlined the attacking approach preferred by Luis Enrique.
The manager said his team would continue to look for goals rather than retreat into a defensive shape when matches become difficult.
“In football, I have seen teams score three goals in five minutes,” he said. “There is no point trying to defend; you have to focus on attacking.
“If we had conceded that number of goals in such a short period, we would have faced the same difficulties as Villarreal.”
Luis Enrique added, according to the official UEFA website, that PSG’s approach was based on maintaining their identity regardless of the circumstances.
“That is the approach we are trying to follow,” he said. “If there is one thing the team has shown, it is its ability to remain consistent and win, regardless of injuries or the stadium in which we play.”
The 6-0 result was built on PSG’s ability to regain possession high up the pitch, allowing them to sustain pressure close to Villarreal’s goal and establish a significant advantage.
“We were much superior because we were fortunate enough to recover the ball close to their goal,” Luis Enrique said.
Despite the heavy defeat, the PSG manager ended by expressing sympathy for Villarreal and praising the Spanish side.
“Villarreal are a team I really like,” he said. “It is a difficult situation, and I feel sorry for them.”
