Luis Enrique outlines PSG plan to limit Barcelona star Lamine Yamal
Luis Enrique says Paris Saint-Germain will try to keep the ball away from Barcelona to blunt Lamine Yamal when the European champions face the Catalan side, who have won all 11 matches of their campaign so far.
Match snapshot
| Item | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona start | 11 wins from 11 | Hansi Flick’s side remain unbeaten this season |
| PSG objective | First Barcelona defeat | Luis Enrique’s team can end the perfect run |
| Key tactical issue | Possession | Both sides are built to control the ball |
The PSG coach has no intention of assigning a strict individual marker to Yamal. Instead, he believes his side must deny Barcelona possession altogether, limiting the teenage winger’s opportunities to influence the game.
“It is very simple: we cannot allow him to receive the ball because he is dangerous when he has it,” Enrique said. “The best defence against Lamine is making sure Barcelona do not have possession.”
Enrique warned that PSG cannot focus solely on Yamal, naming Raphinha, Pedri, Pau Cubarsi and Joan Garcia among the Barcelona players capable of deciding the contest.
He also pushed back against comparisons between Yamal and Lionel Messi. Enrique said the young forward must forge his own path, describing him as intelligent and urging him to remain himself rather than be measured against Messi or any other player.
Enrique ready for former club
The meeting carries particular significance for Enrique, a former Barcelona player and manager, but he made clear that his allegiance is now with PSG.
“I am PSG’s manager,” he said. “At the beginning it was difficult for me to play against Barcelona, but I became used to it. I want to win tomorrow.”
Enrique called Barcelona the club that has meant the most to him in his career and praised its values and quality, while insisting the chance to become the first side to beat Flick’s team this season is a major incentive for PSG.
He does not regard the fixture as a final, however, stressing that the competition is still in its early stages despite the scale of the occasion.
Both coaches demand control through possession, setting up a contest likely to be settled by narrow moments. Enrique expects a difficult match against a Barcelona team he knows well and admires, but said individual brilliance will not be enough: the winning side will need a collective performance.
