Luis Enrique was present at a press conference this Monday, on the eve of Sporting vs. Paris Saint-Germain.

An opportunity for the Spanish coach to explain that he was not convinced of the merit of finishing in the Top 8, even if he hopes to win against Sporting CP.

The Spaniard also discussed Ousmane Dembélé's return to form, the fitness status of João Neves, the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations, and the imminent return of Achraf Hakimi and Ibrahim Mbaye.

You're not very far from last season's level, but it feels like there's still a little something missing. In which area do you want to recover that little something? Could it be, for example, athletic?

"We are in the important part of the season, and we are recovering injured players. I think it's the best time of the season. We must prepare well for the match, we must be attentive. It's an important moment in the Champions League because two matches remain (of the league phase, ed.). Tomorrow, I expect a tight, complicated match, in an exceptional and beautiful stadium, against a complicated Sporting Portugal team with quality players, who like to have the ball and defend well. It will be a match, perhaps similar to what we saw in Bilbao against Athletic. We knew the difficulty of our schedule, but I am happy at the moment. The objective is to win tomorrow and have practically secured qualification for the round of 16, but three points are still missing."

Despite all the problems this season, injuries, PSG's best matches have been in the Champions League. How do you explain the team transformations in this competition?

"It's easy to explain. There is no better competition to show the individual and collective level of the team, and I can understand that the players and the team like to play this type of match; it's normal. But I think the trajectory of the team in this particular season is the same. It's the same thing that happened last year. In terms of performance and play, the start of last season was exceptional for me. We already had a team that dominated matches and played very well. We knew the difficulty of winning the first Champions League matches due to our lack of efficiency, but the rest is very similar... for me, and that is the most important."

You had insisted that Ousmane Dembélé must not just be a leader to score goals, but also to press. Is that what you expect from him tomorrow in a stadium that will need to be tamed?

"Of course. As he did last year and this year, whenever he has played. I spoke after the last match about what I thought of the game. We had difficulties in the first half, but the second was much better. And Ousmane is a leader on the field, and it's beautiful to see a player with this individual quality, which he showed on the two goals. But it's also beautiful to see him with this character to press and to show the team that he is ready for every action to press the opposing central defender, the goalkeeper. And if the best, the leader, does that, he sets an example, and I am very happy to see Ousmane Dembélé back at his level."

You said it, we are at a decisive moment in the Champions League. How important is it to secure a place in the Top 8 as quickly as possible?

"To be honest, I think it's important for the team's confidence to win tomorrow and take the three points, but I'm not sure it's the best because if we qualify among the top 8 teams, we won't play the playoffs and at that point, we will miss the four Coupe de France matches we initially thought we would play. It's clear that our objective is to win tomorrow and qualify via the Top 8, but I'm not sure it's the best thing. (He adds in Spanish). I say that to go a bit against the grain. It's what I like, contradiction (smile). With everyone, and also with my players."

You have four Portuguese internationals in your squad, who play a significant amount, but with different profiles and positions. In your opinion, what unites them beyond their nationality? Is it easy to work with them?

"I am lucky to work with four Portuguese players, but also the sporting director (Luis Campos), who is Portuguese. It is very easy for me, as a coach, to work with players of this quality. They have personal and professional qualities. All four are top, and it's a real pleasure to have this type of level and these types of professional players. I am lucky, very lucky."

You have won many important matches on penalties. Yesterday, Brahim Diaz could have given Morocco victory on a penalty, with a Panenka. Is that something you advise your players against in important moments? Do you discuss it with them?

"We talked about that today on the bus. Today, everyone is talking about Brahim, but I remember Zidane. Zidane, who is a God of football! He did a Panenka in a World Cup. I also remember Sergio Ramos, who also often did this gesture in important matches. When you score that type of penalty, no one says anything; everyone applauds. But when you miss that type of gesture... There are many very bad opinions about this player, but he is a magnificent player, whom I know because I called him up to the Spanish national team for a match. He is an exceptional player, a very good person, and what he is experiencing at the moment is very unfair. I can understand that it's difficult to accept that, and it was strange, everyone can say that, but you have to be a bit... (he mimics calming things down). It's a sport, nothing more. It's a sport, and you have to show that you can win, but also lose. Nothing will happen, whether you win or lose. It's a sport and the values you can show to young people, that's the most important. You shouldn't exaggerate; he's not a murderer or a bad person. I think it's important that you (the media), who have this power to show your opinion, respect and hear that it's not easy to be a young player in a moment like this, with a lot of pressure."

You mentioned your four Portuguese players, but tomorrow one of them will be absent. João Neves is not in the group; he was already absent against Lille. What can you tell us about his health and his duration of unavailability?

"Nothing. It's not important. During the season, there are moments when a player shows small problems, and he can get injured. He is not injured. It's nothing important, but we don't want to take a risk with any player. I think he has improved a lot (his health). If it were a final tomorrow, he could have played, but we continue with our mentality of not taking any risks."

Have you exchanged with Achraf Hakimi today? (Luis Enrique shakes his head no) Are you afraid of getting back a player mentally impacted by what just happened with his country? Another question for Ibrahim Mbaye. Now, you are going to get back a guy with a lot of energy, right?

"That's the beauty of life. It's like when a coach leaves because the club decides he can no longer do his job, but another coach arrives. If you think about the family of the arriving coach, they are very happy. And the family of the departing coach they are less happy. But nothing particular, that's life. Only one team can win. In this specific case, it's Senegal. It's the time to congratulate the Champions, but also to congratulate the Moroccans, because they played very well. And nothing else to say. Hakimi, it's my job to overcome that and to value what he does as a player and as a person. And nothing, it's not important."

Will they come back into the team very quickly?

"Of course, we compete. It is we, the club, who pay a lot of money for the players to come, and they will come. Of course, as for all the other players."

In a season very complicated physically for your players, with very short preparation, Nuno Mendes is in very good physical shape. How do you explain it?

"It's normal during the season to have ups and downs. Physically and technically, Nuno is a different player. I knew him from before, when I was the coach of Spain, and I faced him with Portugal. Arf, I said to myself: 'What an incredible player!' Beautiful with the ball, beautiful without the ball. With that very different mentality. I repeat myself, but it's a real pleasure to have a player like Nuno Mendes."

Have you already had contacts with Sporting CP, or was it simply speculation?

"Me? Never. But first, I like the name of the club, Sporting. It's like the club from my city, Sporting Gijon. And I also like the colors, the jersey is very beautiful. (For the rest), I don't know, maybe in the future..."

In preparing for the match, which characteristics of Sporting made you think a bit more? What have you worked on in particular with your team?

"As for tactical training, zero, because we don't have time, like all coaches at our level. On video, we have clearly analyzed our opponent, and tomorrow will be the time to tell our players what the characteristics of the match will be. I like Sporting Portugal very much. It's a very well-oiled team, which won the double last season. This year, they have 10 points in the Champions League and are second in the championship. I like what they do with the ball, the personality they have to play from the back, the personality they had to play on Bayern Munich's pitch, looking them in the eyes, and leading a good part of the match (finally a 3-1 Bayern victory). Even though it's very difficult to play there in Munich. Tomorrow, we will therefore face a very complete team, which knows how to play very well with the ball but also without the ball. The truth is, we didn't expect to see them at such a level. It will be very complicated. I hope we are attentive and motivated because tomorrow it's going to be very difficult to win this match."

You have four Portuguese players in your team. You said it was a pleasure to coach them. Looking ahead to the next World Cup, do you think Portugal is a serious candidate?

"Without a doubt. For me, it's one of the favorite teams to win the World Cup. But there is also Spain and the other usual favorites. But in terms of individual quality, for several years, Portugal has been exporting players, coaches, and sporting directors all over the world. There are Portuguese everywhere and Portuguese of a very high level. So it is without a doubt a serious candidate, especially with what they have done so far with this Spanish coach (Roberto Martinez, ed.). It's a mix that I consider very interesting, and it is, without a doubt, one of the national teams, due to its individual qualities, the most interesting. They are missing that World Cup victory. I hope Spain wins it, but if not, I would like it to be Portugal."

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