Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique says keeping the ball is the “best way” to contain Lamine Yamal when his side host Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on matchday three.
PSG will be without Nuno Mendes for the match, prompting questions about how they will deal with Barcelona’s attacking threat.
“It’s simple, very simple,” said Enrique. “The best way to contain Lamine Yamal is to keep possession. If you control the ball throughout the match, Lamine won’t touch it, and everything will naturally be calm.”
The former Barcelona manager acknowledged that his preferred scenario would be difficult to achieve against a team with so many outstanding players.
“No single player can individually defend against multiple elite players like Lamine, Raphinha, Pedri, Cubarsi and Joan Garcia,” he said. “The entire team must work together.”
Barcelona have won all 11 of their matches this season, but Enrique insisted they are not flawless.
“There is no perfect team in the world,” he said. “We face Barcelona with confidence, but we also know they are improving and in strong form. This is huge motivation for us; it will be an extremely exciting showdown between strong teams.”
Enrique said he was proud of PSG’s performance in their away match against Manchester City last week, although he valued the process and the players’ enjoyment more than the result.
“Our team has a distinctive tactical style and personality, and seeing the players display this attitude makes me deeply proud,” he said.
He described Barcelona as a side he admired, while warning that small details could decide a contest between two teams competing at the highest level.
“I’m not only the opposing coach but also a pure fan,” said Enrique. “I absolutely love watching Barcelona play and admiring their style. Their ambition and tactical approach align highly with the football philosophy we pursue.”
Enrique also said PSG would adapt once Barcelona’s starting line-up was confirmed, with Raphinha potentially returning after making an impressive start to the season. He also referred to Jesus, who scored again at the weekend.
“We cannot completely stop Lamine from breaking through, stop Pedri from delivering incredible passes, or stop Raphinha from making a decisive run,” Enrique said. “We need to defend as a team, attack as a team, and resolve all dangerous situations as a team.”
The PSG boss rejected the idea that the game represented an early final. He said PSG and Barcelona were among the Champions League contenders, but also named Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid.
“The real Champions League final only begins in April,” he said. “Tomorrow’s match will be extremely captivating, but given the current format, it’s only three points at stake.”
Enrique said he had no concerns about security or fear ahead of the fixture, hoping the game would take place “smoothly and in an orderly fashion”. He declined to comment on social issues in France, saying: “I am a football coach, and I only talk about football.”
