On the eve of the trip to San Mamés, Luis Enrique offered a broad overview: heartfelt praise for Zaïre-Emery, squad management, Basque danger, local football culture and intact ambitions. A dense speech ahead of a match he predicts will be volcanic.
In his press conference, Luis Enrique first hailed the exceptional maturity of Zaïre-Emery: “He is one of the most mature players I’ve seen… He helps the team as a full-back, midfielder. He is a complete player.” Regarding Désiré Doué, the coach confirmed a gradual return: “He is back… I hope he can play tomorrow.” Nico Williams’ absence does not delight Enrique: “I prefer to have all the good players on the pitch.”
A volatile matchup and a warning about Athletic Bilbao’s intensity
On the favorite status, he remained cautious: “These are stereotypes… The match is not won in advance. We must be brave. We want to be first.” He warned about the Basque momentum: “Athletic is a chameleon… There are many dynamic young players. It will be difficult.” The coach expects an aggressive start: “I’m sure they will press us from the beginning.”
Nuno Mendes out… “Many players can play on the left.” The reunion with Ernesto Valverde brought back memories: “He is a coach I admire… It’s an honor to play against Bilbao tomorrow.” Luis Enrique praised the Basque football culture: “What Athletic Bilbao represents is magnificent… It’s beautiful to come to San Mamés.”
Regarding the squad, he pointed to the versatility needed in the absence of Nuno Mendes: “Many players can play on the left… With the right mentality, anyone can play full-back.” As European champions, PSG now face highly motivated opponents: “We must accept the difficulty… We will have to be ready.” On his relationship with his players, Enrique advocates adaptation: “I try to understand if they want more contact or not.” Finally, he highlighted the magic of San Mamés: “It’s one of the best stadiums in Spain… It’s wonderful to play in this stadium.”
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