Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach Luis Enrique has said it would be a bad idea to assign just one player to mark Lionel Messi in Sunday’s Club World Cup round of 16 clash with Inter Miami.
Enrique coached Messi at Barcelona as the duo enjoyed success working together.
One of such memorable moment for the duo was winning the treble in the 2014/2015 season.
“Messi can dribble past any player,” he said in his presser (via news18.com). “If we want to stop Leo Messi, we don’t rely on just one player, because then we are dead. We need the collective.”
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Enrique also highlighted the emotional significance of facing several other familiar faces: Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano who were alao part of the treble-winninh side.
“It’s beautiful to see these players, who are more than just players for me. It will be special—before and after the game.”
While PSG enter the match as favorites, Enrique stressed that Messi’s presence—and the strength of the Inter Miami squad—will serve as motivation rather than intimidation.
“If we can’t get the ball off them it won’t look good for us, because Busquets is still the same. Lionel Messi with the ball is unique.”
Enrique secured his second Champions League trophy as a coach, after leading PSG to their first-ever title in Europe’s elite club competition.
The Parisiens demolished Serie A giants Inter Milan 5-0 inside the Allianz Arena to become the second French club – after Marseille in 1993 – to be crowned Champions League title winners.
Meanwhile, Enrique would be targeting his second Club World Cup title as a coach after first winning it in 2015 with Barcelona.
