Winner of PSG's Liverpool clash will reach final says Luis Enrique / Photo: Paul Currie - AFP
Winner of PSG's Liverpool clash will reach final says Luis Enrique
Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique believes the winner of his team's last 16 clash with Liverpool on Tuesday will go on to reach the final.
PSG face the Premier League leaders in the second leg at Anfield with the daunting task of having to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first meeting in Paris.
Luis Enrique's men delivered a dominant display at the Parc des Princes, but were unable to find a way past inspired Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Liverpool's quality remains clear to the former Barcelona boss despite that spluttering display from the Reds and he is convinced whoever finishes victorious this week is certain to play in May 31's final in Munich.
"Even though we're trailing from the first leg, we will be playing our own game from the outset. Regardless of the result in Paris we wouldn't do anything different," he told reporters on Monday.
"Our only option is to go out and win and that is what is driving us. I don't think Arne Slot has much doubts about our starting line-up, I've got my ideas about his starting line-up as well.
"I'm not going to give away who we are going to play or how we are going to play, but we will see two of the best teams in Europe, two contenders for the final and whoever goes through will go through to the final."
Enrique is confident the Ligue 1 leaders can cope with the intense environment at Anfield, a stadium famous for Liverpool supporters generating a hostile atmosphere on big European nights.
"I am pretty convinced that absolutely every single one of my players will want to play," he said.
"We know what Liverpool means with a historic stadium and a wonderful history. It's a huge source of motivation for the players and we want to show we are capable of putting in a performance.
"It is difficult to manage one's emotions and feelings, these are not easy games to prepare for and it is not easy to be at 100 per cent.
"But you don't want to be at 105 or 110 per cent because you could get carried away so you have to manage your emotions in the best possible way."
PSG lost on their only previous trips to Anfield in 1997 and 2018, but winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not concerned by the prospect of playing in such an intimidating arena.
"When you play at Anfield against Liverpool you don't need to motivate yourself that much, you already have it inside you," the Georgia attacker said.
"The game will be 50-50. We have a big mentality in the team and we will just try to win. r
"It will be the most important game in our season because our goal is to play in the Champions League many times and play in the final."
萬-M.Wàn--THT-士蔑報
