Luis Enrique has hit the halfway mark in his first season as Paris Saint-Germain’s manager. The Spanish boss entered a new era for the capital club, which saw various prominent figures leave this past summer.
Lionel Messi, Marco Verratti, Neymar Jr., and Sergio Ramos all left, with several new players arriving as part of this rebuild. As a result, Enrique had to navigate a challenging situation.
Even with these circumstances, the 53-year-old has PSG atop the Ligue 1 table and has the squad qualified for the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Journalist Bruno Salomon applauded the choice that the Parisians made to appoint Enrique.
“He set out on a project,” Salomon said on L’Equipe de Greg (h/t Canal Supporters). “He’s revolutionizing a club that had fallen asleep with its coaches and respecting Ligue 1. Let me explain. Just after the Lille match (1-1), he was able to adapt. Usually, we had coaches like Pochettino or Galtier who set up a 4-3-3 with the players, and that wasn’t very tactically astute.
“Now, he’s also adapting to Ligue 1, with specific results coming his way. After all, he’s had a run of eight consecutive wins, not all of which have been exceptional matches. Yes, possession can be a pain, but I think he’s a hard-working team.
“He’s only been here four months, and the results are already there. He’s at the top of the league, which is logical for a team that’s weaker than before. He’s turned it into a collective, and I find it really interesting to watch.”
If Enrique can get PSG to beat Real Sociedad into the Champions League quarterfinals or go on a deeper run in the tournament this campaign while winning Ligue 1 and Coupe de France, Year 1 under the former FC Barcelona boss will likely mark a successful season.
