Paris Saint-Germain, despite grappling with several key injuries, commenced their Champions League journey with a decisive victory against Atalanta. The reigning champions demonstrated a seamless transition of their strong domestic form into the new European season.
Following the match, coach Luis Enrique addressed the media, clarifying that their primary goal against Atalanta (La Dea) that Wednesday evening was not to make a grand statement to other European contenders:
“Our intention was simply to launch a strong start in this competition, facing a team known for its robust defense. We performed exceptionally well against their man-to-man marking, and I believe our victory was well-earned. While there`s always room for improvement, I was particularly pleased with the mentality and intensity displayed by the squad. We generated numerous scoring opportunities and effectively overcame their high press.”
Notably, the Asturian coach once again opted to observe and analyze the first half of the game from the stands, before descending to the dugout for the second half.
He explained his unique approach: “I watched the first half from the stands because it provides a superior vantage point of the entire match. From there, I clearly saw how effectively the team bypassed Atalanta`s pressing tactics. It`s simply easier to grasp the opponent`s overall strategy and their pressing schemes from that elevated position. However, I won`t be doing this for away games, primarily for safety reasons!”
When questioned about Les Parisiens` potential to secure a top-eight finish this season, which would grant them direct progression past the February play-off stages, the Spanish manager was keen to manage expectations:
Enrique responded, “We aren`t really setting a specific objective, mainly because our fixture list is uniquely demanding compared to other teams. Achieving five wins and a draw will prove exceptionally challenging, considering we face the toughest schedule in the entire competition.”
