by The Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique welcomed the work that the Liverpool Chef Arne Slot did, and said on Tuesday that the Dutch had built an “almost perfect team” since Jürgen Klopp took over in Anfield.
Two of the best teams in Europe this season meet on Wednesday when PSG Liverpool organized the last 16 draw at the PARC des Princes in the first leg of their Champions League.
PSG is unbeaten in Ligue 1 and leads to another French title, while Liverpool cleared 13 points in the Premier League and reached the 36-team league phase in the Champions League.
“It is difficult to imagine that a better match-up on paper between two dominant teams with two different game methods, but teams with dominant styles,” Luis Enrique told reporters.
Liverpool lost both previous visits to PSG in 1997 and 2018. The second defeat came months before lying down the trophy in Madrid later in the same season and defeating Tottenham in the final.
They also lost in the final under Klopp, both times against Real Madrid and most recently in 2022 in the Stade de France in a game that was overshadowed by the chaos in front of the floor that traumatized many fans.
Slot replaced Klopp last summer, when the German returned to the top after nine years and had a remarkable impact on the six -time European champion.
“Liverpool has been one of the best teams in Europe in recent years and won the Champions League (2019),” said Luis Enrique.
“It was difficult to improve what Klopp did, but Arne Slot managed to create an almost perfect team.”
Mohamed Salah enjoys a sensational campaign with 30 goals and 22 templates that develop as the leader for the Ballon d’Or, but Luis Enrique quickly points out that Liverpool is a number of dangers for his team.
“There is a player like Salah with incredible statistics, but there is not only Salah, there are many first -class players, it is a very full team,” said the Spaniard.
“That motivates us and it is time for us to show that we have it.”
He added: “You have one of the best attacks in Europe, we will search to keep the ball, but we have to be careful with your counterattacks, you have three fighter aircraft in front.”
PSG had to go through the play-offs after a slow start in the Champions League lost three of their five games.
But they crushed the domestic rival Brest 10: 0 in total to take care of the last 16 and are unbeaten in 22 games in all competitions.
“We have to be able to do what we have been doing since the beginning of the season, there is nothing that changes,” said Luis Enrique.
“We know that we are faced with the most constant team this season, but the plan does not change.
“It will be a hard -fought, difficult game. The first game will not decide everything, but it is very important to us. It is difficult for the opponents to play the crowd of the Princes parc.”
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