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| Luis Enrique PSG, Paris Saint Germain Coach |
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique feels his team has a new level of belief this season. Their confidence is higher than last year as they prepare to defend their Champions League crown. The campaign begins with a tough match against Atalanta. But PSG faces this challenge without key attackers.
The team will miss Ousmane Dembélé for six weeks with a hamstring injury. Désiré Doué is also out for about four weeks due to a calf problem. These injuries are a significant blow. The defense is also affected. Lucas Beraldo will not play against Atalanta because of an ankle issue.
Despite these setbacks Enrique's faith in his squad is unshaken. He spoke at a press conference about the team's journey. "Our confidence is greater than it was last year at this stage" he said. He recalled their difficult path last season. PSG had to fight through the playoffs to reach the knockout rounds.
Enrique explained his philosophy on winning. "For me winning the first title is much harder than the second or third". He believes that first victory changes everything. "The first title is always difficult because players dont think they can win it but we showed them the way".
Now the mentality is different. "Now everyone at Paris Saint-Germain the young players they all want to win. They understand they are capable".
PSG famously won their first Champions League trophy with a huge 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final. That success was followed by a 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. Enrique uses these experiences to fuel his ambition.
"My mindset is to always improve" he stated. He wants his players to avoid complacency. "We must constantly think about getting better. Our goal is to write history again and win the Champions League for the second consecutive time. We have to be ambitious".
Their first opponent Atalanta presents a unique puzzle. The Italian club has a new coach Ivan Jurić. This will be his first ever Champions League match.
Enrique is wary of the unknown. "They changed their coach so it is hard for us to predict how they will play". But he respects their quality. "We are talking about a strong team with excellent players. Their former coach Gian Piero Gasperini left his mark on the team. It will be a very difficult match for us".