Only a few days before one of the most important meetings in the recent history of PSG, Luis Enrique surprised all his audience at a press conference. The Spanish coach, however renowned for his firm positions, decided to return to one of the most sensitive subjects of his Parisian mandate: his opinion on Kylian Mbappé. While everyone expected new sharp statements, the former Roja coach has radically changed her tone.
Against all expectations, Luis Enrique has indeed just recognized that his PSG last season, with Mbappé, was “A real team”. “Last year too, we were a real team, without a doubt”, he said before the press. Completely against the tide of those held last year, when he tirelessly repeated that his team would be better without depending on a single player, implicitly referring to French genius. In a way, Spanish recognizes today that he may have underestimated the positive impact of Mbappé.
Luis Enrique returns his jacket on Mbappé
The previous season, Luis Enrique had not hesitated to put Mbappé on the bench several times, especially during important matches. A choice deemed daring by some, provocative by others. But today, he seems to review his judgment with a surprising franchise: “I said that we will manage to improve the team without depending on a single player. The figures say that the team is better, but we were also good last year. Remember that we had played a semi-final of the Champions League ”, he humbly admit.
Before the final, Enrique buries his criticisms on Mbappé
This turnaround is linked to the notable progress of PSG this season. According to Luis Enrique, the secret of improvement is in a word: efficiency. “We have gone from lamentable statistics to the best in Europe”, he confides. A collective success made possible thanks to the fierce defensive work of the attackers like Dembélé, Gonçalo Ramos, Kang-in Lee, Goué or Barcola, all greeted by the Spanish coach for their impeccable state of mind. A subtle way for Enrique to recall that his collective approach still prevails.
Despite this late mea culpa, it is unlikely that it completely erases the tensions accumulated over the months with Mbappé, even if the latter ensures that he had never had a personal problem with his coach. But this declaration, ten days before a historic final against Inter Milan, represents a significant gesture of appeasement. Luis Enrique thus sends a strong message to his group: the time is no longer for internal quarrels, but for the sacred union to finally conquer this hoped -for Champions League.
