- Title: PSG appoint Enrique as new coach to replace Galtier
- Date: 5th July 2023
- Summary: POISSY, FRANCE (JULY 5, 2023) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN PRESIDENT NASSER AL-KHELAIFI PRESENTING NEW PSG COACH LUIS ENRIQUE ENRIQUE DURING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW PSG COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "A football on the offensive, a football that can be fun for the fans, and above all, a football that gets good results - that's the challenge I have here. I am committed to building a team. For that I have the help of the club. I'm sure I'm going to achieve it. I have no doubt that I'm going to create a team, and I think the Paris Saint-Germain fans will like that a lot. And then, obviously, when you reach the elite and the top level, we will see what we are capable of building. I am delighted to be here as coach of Paris Saint-Germain." ENRIQUE DURING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW PSG COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "An offensive style of play is non-negotiable. If I didn't think we could play offensively, I wouldn't have come or I wouldn't have gone to any club. In this case, what I can tell you is that as a coach, you obviously have to adapt to the players you have. My job as a coach is to get the best out of each of them individually and collectively. But I can guarantee that we will play as a team because that's my job, because that's my first role as a coach, and I'm sure they are going to enjoy it." ENRIQUE DURING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW PSG COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "I love having that pressure. I love having that pressure, blessed pressure. Obviously, yes, there are seven, eight teams on the same level that have the same dream, and also with more experience than us. There is no doubt about that in Europe. But just because you have superior experience doesn't mean we can't reach it. The Champions League is almost unfair because one bad match and you exit the competition, but that's no excuse for us. So this is a goal for us, and I think being ambitious is a very positive thing in life." ENRIQUE DURING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW PSG COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "Well, my style is how I live my life every day, maybe because of my experience as a player. I spent five years in Real Madrid and eight years in Barcelona. I've coached great clubs. I spent three years in the locker rooms with as many stars in Barcelona, and I have always felt at ease with the players. Football players are very selfish and intelligent. They clearly know that if you are there to help them, they engage with you. You have to give them a stage so they can perform at their best, to feel happy in this club and to win titles. That's the common goal." PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN LOGO (SOUNDBITE) (French) PSG PRESIDENT, NASSER AL KHELAIFI, SAYING: "If Kylian (Mbappe) wants to, he can stay. We want him to stay. But he needs to sign a new contract. We don't want to let someone who is one of the best players in the world today leave for free, it's impossible. It's a French club. Without paying, I think and I'm sure, he's already said it: 'I never want to leave for free like everyone promised him.' If today, someone has changed his opinion, that's not my fault. But w. e don't want to lose the best player in the world for free, that's very clear." ENRIQUE LEAVING VARIOUS OF SLOGAN ON WALL READING (French): "Here, it's Paris" DINING ROOM IN NEW TRAINING CENTRE VARIOUS OF PSG TRAINING CENTRE CHANGING ROOM VARIOUS OF PSG TRAINING CENTRE WEIGHT ROOM PSG TRAINING CENTRE POOL VARIOUS OF PSG TRAINING CENTRE FOOTBALL GROUNDS
- Embargoed: 19th July 2023 17:06
- Keywords: France Galtier PSG coach football soccer
- Location: POISSY, FRANCE
- City: POISSY, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001482505072023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain sacked manager Christophe Galtier on Wednesday (July 5), bringing the curtain down on a tumultuous campaign under the Frenchman and replaced him with former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique.
Luis Enrique led Barcelona to a treble in the 2014-15 season while he guided Spain to the semi-finals of the 2020 European Championship.
The Spaniard was sacked after they were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup in the last 16.
He had been out of a job ever since before signing a contract with PSG until 2025 and he immediately embraced the pressure of having to win the Champions League -- a trophy that has eluded the French club despite their domestic dominance.
"I love this pressure. Dozens of teams have this same dream, sometimes teams that have more experience than us."
"The Champions League is almost unfair because one bad match and you exit the competition, but that's no excuse for us."
As the 53-year-old joins PSG, where player power has made things difficult for coaches in the past, he said he will not have any problems managing big egos.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi welcomed the new coach and stated that the future of player Kylian Mbappe will be a topic of discussion at PSG over the coming months.
Mbappe sent a letter to PSG last month stating that he had no intention of extending his contract, which expires in 2024.
But he later clarified that he had not asked the French club to allow him to move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, who have in the past tried and failed to land the World Cup-winning forward.
Al-Khelaifi said Mbappe must sign a new contract if he wants to stay at the club as the French champions will not let him leave for free next year.
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