Luis Enrique: "We Would Have Loved to Have Mbappé, But We Have Stars Based on the Team"

"We would have loved to have Mbappé, but his decision was different. A coach's goal is to motivate his players and make them believe it's possible. I really like this approach because we have stars based on the team and not the other way around, which is not easy in the world of football," declared Luis Enrique after PSG's first Champions League victory, precisely after the French star left the Parisian team to sign for Real Madrid. Luis Enrique had already promised to build a better team without Mbappé and fulfilled his promise. "I don't care about being the coach of the year. I want to be a better coach and improve my players," assured the Asturian coach, citing examples of two great footballers whose strengths he has managed to enhance.

"Dembélé has always been phenomenal, but you have to delve deeper to achieve his best version. He is a leader by example. How he has pressed... Tell me a number 9 who presses like that. When he does that, the rest just have to follow," he acknowledged, referring to the former Barça player. "In the case of Doué (only 19 years old), it's like this generation of Lamine Yamal, for whom it's already a celebration. In our generation, we would be scared," Luis Enrique told Álvaro Benito in front of Movistar cameras. "Well, not in yours. In mine," he added with a laugh, addressing the former Real Madrid player.