Luis Enrique, the coach of Paris Saint-Germain, spoke openly ahead of the team's clash with Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg.
Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain stated that he does not believe there is a favorite to win the UEFA Champions League because even Liverpool, dubbed a favorite last season, was knocked out by his team in the round of 16.
The two teams previously met in the 2024-25 round of 16, where Paris Saint-Germain won 4-1 on penalties after the aggregate score was tied 1-1. PSG and Liverpool are scheduled to face each other again in the quarterfinal first leg tonight.
Enrique said, "What’s important is showing the hunger to play football, enjoying the Parc des Princes stadium, the fans, and the atmosphere. We must give 100% for our fans, and then we will see what the outcome will be."
"Last season, we had one of our best games but lost to Liverpool (round of 16 first leg). Liverpool then became favorites, but in the end, it was Paris Saint-Germain who won and advanced."
"There is no favorite in this round. The key is to control what we can control."
"Liverpool is a very high-level team, and thinking of yourself as a favorite is the best way to create problems."
"It doesn’t matter who is the favorite in this tournament. In games like this, it’s impossible to have a favorite. For me, there is no favorite."
Paris Saint-Germain has remained unbeaten in their last six Champions League matches against English teams, with five wins and one draw.
In their meeting last season, Liverpool had only 38.6% average ball possession and had 14 fewer shots on target than Paris Saint-Germain.