Manchester City gears up for a crucial second half of the 2024-25 season, with Pep Guardiola again looking at European glory. Before his high stakes Champions League collide, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique made his admiration for the City manager abundantly clear.
Both Enrique and Guardiola share a deep connection through their ties to FC Barcelonawhere they each enjoyed notable success. Guardiola led the Catalan side to a historic sextuple in 2009, while Enrique secured the treble in 2015. Despite their shared history, The PSG coach admitted that Guardiola has set the standard in modern football training.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference in Paris, Luis Enrique did not hold back in praising his counterpart. “Guardiola took Barca’s 4-3-3 to an almost perfect model during his time at Barcelona. He is number one, a reference, a unique coach with a lot of personality. Someone who has innovated in the world of football“, Enrique said.
The PSG manager also highlighted Guardiola’s transformative impact on English football: “He has revolutionized the way football is played in England. And that has led him to success. He has opened the doors for many managers who are now in the Premier League. Without a doubt, Guardiola’s values are the ones I aspire to.”
Despite his admiration for Guardiola, Enrique reaffirmed his commitment to PSG’s tactical principles ahead of their crucial matchup. While both teams are navigating challenging campaigns, the clash is expected to be highly competitive.
Key match in the Champions League for PSG and Manchester City
Both PSG and Manchester City have underperformed Champions League this season does not live up to expectations. PSG have struggled to adapt Kylian Mbappes summer departure, while City’s form has dropped significantly due to injuriesincluding a long-running ACL question for Rodri.
For PSG, the stakes are high. They are sitting right now 25th place—just inside the elimination zone—in the Champions League’s new league format, with 7 points from 6 games. A result against City is important to get closer to the play-off positions.
At the same time, Manchester City is precariously positioned 22ndon the edge of the playoff zone with 8 points. Guardiola’s side also need to deliver a strong performance to avoid falling into the elimination bracket.
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