Before heading to the pitch at Al Rayyan’s Ahmad-ben-Ali stadium for the final training session on the eve of the Intercontinental Cup against Flamengo (6 p.m., Wednesday), Luis Enrique presented himself at a press conference this Tuesday afternoon. It is a Parisian coach who is cautious but determined to collect a sixth trophy this year with PSG who faced the journalists. Motivated by the idea of marking the history of the Parisian club, the Asturian did not hide the fact that he was, all the same, wary of the Brazilian club.
You can become the first French club to win this title, the third to achieve the sextuplet. Are you aware that you can still make the history of your sport?
LUIS HENRY. I didn’t know this statistic. I think there are few opportunities to play this final. We are aware of the importance of this match. It’s nice to play a final like that. It means a lot to us and we are happy to be here.
How do you view the progress made since the start of the year?
A year ago, we were on the path to this moment. There are very positive memories from last season and I think it was important to overcome what we had in the past. At the moment, I’m thinking about having continuity on what we saw last season. It’s time to play this final, it’s important for the team, the club, the supporters. It’s always difficult to play in this Intercontinental Cup final.
“We are ready”
Do you always have the same adrenaline before playing a final of this magnitude?
I think it’s a very clear motivation. Making history was a goal last season and we want to continue to make history. Each final is different. You have to be very attentive during the match, every action can be important and decisive. You have to have this control, have the motivation for the match, it’s important. We’re ready, I think. The team showed this mentality that we already had last season. Flamengo are a very good team and it will be a close, difficult final.
Is Marquinhos able to hold his place for this final?
There is one last training session left but he is ready. We will see his condition after the training session. We will decide tomorrow if he starts or not.
Has your team come out of the cycle of fatigue that you faced at the start of the season?
It’s impossible to know that! What we have shown over the last four months is our ability to overcome different situations, and I cannot guarantee anything. We are happy to be here and to have this time to enjoy the family during the holidays. The break and family vacations will be good. We have to take advantage of it before 2026 because the important moments will arrive in all competitions.
“I like the way Flamengo plays”
What does the fact that Flamengo are at the end of their season change?
They are different things. They are here after winning a lot of trophies. They are having a good time, I like the way they play football. We remember the Club World Cup, they had some very interesting matches. We know the difficulty of this match and we are trying to be ready tomorrow.
What value do you place on this trophy?
It’s very difficult to properly promote this trophy. When you lose, you say it doesn’t matter. We have a chance to write PSG history. Today it is very important for Flamengo and it is very important for us. We want to continue to write the history of our club. It’s a big motivation for us, for the club, and I don’t think our opponents will be more motivated than us.
What is your view on South American football?
I played in the Intercontinental Cup as a coach ten years ago. We will see who is better between PSG and Flamengo. They have a good team, they beat Chelsea in the summer at the Club World Cup. Nobody doubts the level of South American players. It’s never a good thing to play against a Brazilian club. We know that the final will be decided on small things.
Worth a look
