Luis Enrique Master Plan to Succeed at PSG : Luis Enrique replaced Christophe Galtier on the technical bench as new Paris Saint-Germain manager during the offseason. Eleven days before his first match in Ligue 1 in the 2023/24 season , the Spanish coach continues to find his feet with his workforce, and is active on all fronts.
Christophe Galtier left after only one season, Paris Saint-Germain chose Luis Enrique to replace him for the 2023-2024 season. In position on the Parisian bench during the first four games of the pre-season, the 53-year-old Spaniard has not yet had much success in terms of results with only one victory (for a draw and two defeats).
But beyond the score, the performances of the Ile-de-France team during its tour of Asia confirmed that Luis Enrique, a fan of the beautiful game, was going to do everything to ensure that Paris had possession, even if it meant taking risks close to its penalty area, like this Tuesday against Inter Milan (1-2 defeat).
In the space of a few weeks and before the first day of Ligue 1, August 12th against Lorient at the Parc des Princes, the PSG coach seeks to impose his style in Paris.
Luis Enrique involved in the daily work
With his remarkable passage in Barcelona, the technician was however a failure with the Spanish national team during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. But that does not prevent him from maintaining a natural authority over his group, which includes several of his former La Roja players such as Marco Asensio or Carlos Soler.
On a daily basis, Luis Enrique has revolutionized collective fitness sessions and pays particular attention to the work rate of his players.
As a proof of this involvement, it is he and not one of his assistants who leads PSG training. The former coach of Spain wets the jersey and gives instructions, often in Spanish, but soon in French as he promises.
More dynamic workouts
During training on the eve of the match against Inter Milan on Monday at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Luis Enrique did not hesitate to stop the game, to speak, to replace, on a passing circuit exercise. The technician is always on the move, running to his players to show them what he expects of them during the exercises.
An image that contrasts in particular with the operation under Christophe Galtier, who relied a lot on his deputy Joao Sacramento to animate the sessions.
Training sessions with Luis Enrique are also very dynamic, another trademark of the former Barça coach. He asks his men to make the ball live, to quickly circulate it, after a touch or two at most. The idea then being in a match to make the opponent run after the ball, to tire him out and put him in difficulty.
Luis Enrique called up the players targeted during the transfer window
Still in uncertainty about Kylian Mbappé, Luis Enrique learns to live without the France star during the PSG tour in Asia. While waiting to learn more about this file, the Spaniard is actively participating in the summer recruitment of PSG.
Aware that this Paris Saint-Germain team needs reinforcements by September 1, the coach does not hesitate to pick up his phone himself, in consultation with sports adviser Luis Campos, to call potential recruits and convince him to join.
In the oven and in the mill since he arrived, the former FC Barcelona coach knows he has little time to prepare. On August 12, he will already take his first test against Lorient on the first day of Ligue 1 but most importantly the Spanish coach knows the UEFA Champions League is the most important trophy PSG wants him to win.
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