‘I expect to suffer tomorrow’ – PSG’s Luis Enrique denies ‘excess of confidence’ ahead of Aston Villa clash

Paris Saint-Germain could be forgiven for being confident heading into the second-leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Aston Villa, given that PSG hold a 3-1 lead from last week’s game at the Parc des Princes. However, at a press conference attended by Get French Football News, Luis Enrique has denied any notions of an “excess of confidence”. 

“From the outside, we have gone from complete pessimism at the start of the season to a certain euphoria today but I think that the key in all of that is the team’s maturity, despite the youthfulness. We need to focus on ourselves, on our football. Nothing is over. This match will be very difficult and we have to be ready to suffer. I expect to suffer tomorrow. When we are ready to suffer, we are ready to win,” said Luis Enrique. 

‘The Champions League is paved with favourites that were eliminated along the way’ – PSG manager Luis Enrique

The PSG manager added, “There is not an excess of confidence but an enormous determination. Yes, our intention, once again, remains to resolve the problems that Aston Villa pose us.”

Having wrapped up the Ligue 1 title and given their form and attractive style of play, PSG have been identified as one of the favourites to win this season’s Champions League. “It is the famous thory of the favourite bfore the match. I have said before, the path of the Champions League is paved with favourites that were eliminated along the way. We won the first match. It is an advantage but we never start off with certainties. We still don’t have the intention of calculating. We will see if Villa are better than us but our objective is to show that we have the level to go to the semi-finals.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Villa Park