Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta labelled former boss Luis Enrique as a “particular coach” with a “distinctive expertise” because the Spaniard appears to be like to information Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League glory.
Spain nice Iniesta was a part of the Barcelona crew that Luis Enrique coached to the Champions League crown in 2015, beating Juventus within the remaining.
Luis Enrique will now look to change into the sixth supervisor to win the trophy with two completely different golf equipment, together with Carlo Ancelotti (Milan, Actual Madrid), Ottmar Hitzfeld (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich), Jupp Heynckes (Madrid, Bayern), Jose Mourinho (Porto and Inter) and Pep Guardiola (Barcelona and Man Metropolis).
And Iniesta has no doubts over his former mentor’s credentials, having performed a key half within the 3-1 victory over Juve in 2015 when he assisted Ivan Rakitic’s opener.
“He’s a particular coach,” Iniesta advised Sky Sports activities in Munich, the place Inter await PSG in Saturday’s showpiece.
“I’ve recognized him as a team-mate and as a coach and he has a singular expertise. He’s an unimaginable employee.
“He is aware of methods to transmit his concepts to others, he is aware of methods to persuade. And he has very clear concepts about how he needs to play.”
WE’RE HERE! #UCLfinal DAY – WE ARE PARIS! pic.twitter.com/3MtI7W4rZi
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The 2015 triumph was Barcelona’s fifth European title, although PSG head into this conflict with no such historical past.
Ligue 1 champions PSG misplaced their solely Champions League remaining in opposition to Bayern within the 2019-20 season however stay the final French facet to win a serious European trophy – the 1995-96 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
Nevertheless, PSG have at present performed the fourth-most video games (167) with out ever profitable the European Cup/Champions League because it started in 1955.
They’re solely behind Arsenal (211), Dynamo Kyiv (185) and Atletico Madrid (176) in that facet, and Iniesta is aware of all too nicely about getting over the road in main finals.
“They’re particular matches since you by no means play in these conditions usually, however you additionally attempt to do it in a pure means, the identical routines, the identical issues, in order to not put extra strain on your self,” he continued.
Iniesta additionally has associations with each golf equipment, via Luis Enrique at PSG, and Inter attributable to their earlier rivalry with Barcelona.
The final time that Inter lifted the trophy was in 2010 when Jose Mourinho’s facet defeated Pep Guardiola’s Barca in a tense semi-final, the place Iniesta missed each legs via harm.
“On the time, it was tough to just accept,” he provides, contemplating an consequence that Luis Enrique and all concerned with PSG will hope to keep away from in Munich.
