Luis Enrique, coach of Paris Saint-Germain, acknowledges the challenge Liverpool poses at Anfield ahead of their Champions League quarter-final. PSG leads 2-0 from the first leg, and Enrique emphasizes the significance of the home crowd's support.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique addresses the media ahead of the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool. | AFP via Getty Images
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique addresses the media ahead of the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool. | AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool will be hoping for another famous European night and Anfield and to stage a comeback against Paris Saint-Germain this evening when the two sides meet in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with the Parisians carrying a 2-0 advantage from last weekâs match at the Parc des Princes.
If they are to manage it, though, they will have to overcome not just arguably Europeâs top side over the past 12 months but also one led by a manager who is taking the threat of the home crowd seriously. Thatâs because Luis Enrique not only played at Anfield twice as a Barcelona player but also visited and sat on the Kop after hanging up his boots.
âI donât remember the exact match but it was nice,â he said of his visit as a fan in the 2000s. âI wanted to live as a supporter in one of the best stadiums in the world, at Anfield, and I enjoyed it a lot. It was a different experience. I got the tickets as Luis Garcia was playing here, so it was specialâvery different to what I lived as a player.â
Liverpool have overcome deficits before, but even having won against Fulham on the weekend the game comes at a point in time when the mood around the club is at its lowest in years thanks to a season where both results and performances fall well short of expectation for the defending Premier League champions.
Add in arguably the toughest possible opponentâan opponent who got the weekend off when Ligue 1 re-arranged fixtures to give PSG rest ahead of their European clashâand a manager who wonât be inclined to under-value the potential power of Anfield to turn the tide and help tip the match in the home sideâs favour, though, and it will be difficult.
âEveryone says we won the first leg easily and were better than the opposition,â Enrique added. âIt might be the case but things can change so quickly in a football match. You need to be careful, to take care of the detailsâyou need to be ready because you can concede a goal in the first half and then the game is still open.
âSo weâll go out to try and win the game like we always do. They will come out and try to score and so I need to ensure my team know we will encounter difficulties, that it wonât be easy. We know how difficult it is to play in a stadium like Anfield but itâs also a source of motivation and we want to play our game, to overcome them, and win the game.â
Q&A
What is the current score between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final?
Paris Saint-Germain currently leads Liverpool 2-0 from the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final.
What did Luis Enrique say about the atmosphere at Anfield?
Luis Enrique stated that he takes the threat of the home crowd at Anfield seriously, recognizing it as one of the best stadiums in the world.
What experience did Luis Enrique have as a fan at Anfield?
Luis Enrique recalled enjoying a visit to Anfield as a fan in the 2000s, particularly because he attended a match where Luis Garcia was playing.
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