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Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique mentioned Xavi Hernández’s Barcelona facet performed “lengthy ball soccer like Eibar” in a brand new documentary which follows his first season in control of the French champions.
PSG performed Barça within the Champions League quarterfinal final season, shedding the primary leg 3-2 in Paris earlier than coming again to win 4-1 within the second leg on the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona.
“Barça aren’t assured to [dominate games], they have not in two seasons with Xavi,” Luis Enrique mentioned within the documentary titled ‘No tenéis ni p–a concept (You don’t have any f—–g concept)’ earlier than the tie.
“They don’t seem to be a dominant staff and they don’t seem to be a very good staff defensively, both. They defend with our bodies however they do not have high quality in defence.”
Luis Enrique doubled down on his opinion of Xavi’s Barça after shedding the primary recreation on the Parc des Princes.
“It is a deceive say Barça have been higher, that is fully false,” he added in his evaluation of the LaLiga facet, who he performed for and later coached between 2014 and 2017. “They performed lengthy balls. [Goalkeeper Marc-André] ter Stegen broke the file for lengthy passes — I feel it was 24. They play like Eibar. It was all lengthy balls. Name it the third man in the event you’re a fan of Xaxi.”
The buildup to the tie had targeted on the 2 former teammates, with Luis Enrique saying within the information convention earlier than the primary recreation that he embodies Barcelona’s type of soccer higher than Xavi.
Forward of the return leg, the documentary centres on how Luis Enrique inspired Kylian Mbappé to purchase in to working more durable, holding a one-on-one assembly with the French ahead to elucidate why he wanted him to press and harry extra.
“It’s important to be a frontrunner,” he advised Mbappé. “It’s important to assist us. Defend like a son of a b—h, lead by instance, press… and we can be a f—–g machine.”
PSG went on to win the second leg, however have been eradicated within the semifinal by Borussia Dortmund.
Talking forward of the discharge of the documentary this week, Luis Enrique mentioned the tie towards Barça was “horrible” and that he hopes he by no means has to return up towards his former facet once more in his managerial profession.
Luis Enrique additionally revealed that Barça, who he led to the Treble as coach in 2014-15 and gained 9 trophies with throughout his three years in cost, sounded him out a couple of attainable return through the 2022-23 season.
“They known as [my agent Ivan de la Peña],” he defined. “I mentioned to him: ‘Ask them what occurs if Xavi wins LaLiga and the Copa, are they going to sack him?’ I already knew the reply.”
The documentary begins with Luis Enrique’s presentation as PSG coach, taking in his first league title with the French membership and ending with the launch of the Xana Basis, named after his late daughter.
Mbappé — known as “Kiki” all through by Luis Enrique — additionally featured prominently within the documentary, as PSG ready for all times with out the ahead, who joined Real Madrid upon the expiry of his contract final summer time.
“He is an incredible participant, however he is an excellent higher individual,” Luis Enrique says of Mbappé. “He works exhausting, he is endearing, he is type. Kylian is the cornerstone of the undertaking, we defend in order that he does not get worn out and assault in order that he has freedom.
“With out Kylian, the staff is the cornerstone of the undertaking … Should you gained trophies for having the very best participant on the earth, PSG would have gained eight Champions Leagues. They haven’t gained any.”
