Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique on Tuesday called on his side to embrace the pressure in Wednesday's final Champions League group stage match in Stuttgart.
PSG have stumbled in the group stages and could fail to make the knockouts should they lose in Germany on Wednesday.
The 2015 Champions League-winning coach admitted his side, who sit 22nd in the 36-team table after losing three of their seven games so far, had struggled.
🔛 New training session at the PSG Campus! 😄⚽️ pic.twitter.com/PDSIy73wlc
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 27, 2025
"I think we have been superior to almost all the teams we have played... We deserved to win, but were not clinical enough in front of goal," Luis Enrique told reporters.
"I'm just as calm as I am before any Champions League game, which means I'm not calm at all – but I'm ready to compete.
"Is there pressure? Yes of course, that means we're in the right place."
📑 The Parisian squad for the trip to Stuttgart! 🔴🔵#UCL pic.twitter.com/oNByhHQYy9
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 28, 2025
Calling PSG "one of the top five teams in Europe", Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness shot down suggestions the French league leaders, who have lost players like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in recent seasons, lacked the star power of years past.
"It's a team full of stars – an unbelievably good team," Hoeness said.
"They've shown that in the (French) league, even if they may not have collected the points in the Champions League that they would have wanted.
"There's a huge challenge for us, a big game. The city is pumping and the stadium will explode tomorrow."