Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is looking forward to a reunion with Pep Guardiola in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The French league leaders sit top of Ligue 1 but are in danger of failing to qualify for the next stage of Europe’s elite competition.
They have just seven points, one behind City ahead of the meeting at the Park of the Princes.
And while the stakes are high in the game, Enrique looked more excited than nervous in his pre-match press conference.
He said: “Tomorrow will be a special game. Not only because of his importance to both teams, but also because I will meet a friend with whom I have shared some great moments.
“It’s great to see Pep again. What unites us is our way of looking at football, constant pressing, holding the ball more than the opponent.
“Of course there are nuances, but I think our initial philosophy is similar. I feel very lucky to be his friend and to have been his teammate. I think he brought a new way of playing to England.
Luis Enrique spoke to PSG TV before the match against City! 🎙️
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 21, 2025
“Last season we had to fight until the last day to get out of our group. I think that in the last two seasons we faced tough opponents in the group stage. But what I see in my team gives me confidence and makes me very optimistic.
“A very important match and everyone must be ready, both the coach and the team. I think both teams will try to use their best weapons.
“With the new format of the Champions League, no one could have predicted where Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain would stand. We still don’t know how many points we will need to qualify for the next round, but maybe after this round we will find out.”
Enrique bolstered his attacking options ahead of the game with the arrival of Khvich Kvaratskhelia.
The former Napoli winger joins to provide competition to the likes of Desiree Doue and Bradley Barcola in wide areas.
But the PSG boss says the Georgian forward can play across the front line and that will be evident from his first appearance for the club.
He added: “Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a player who has shown his ability in Napoli and with the Georgian national team. He can play on the flanks, in the center, forward… He is a player who adapts to our system. He is also involved in defense, which fits our idea of football.
“We define our game plan with that in mind. We hope that with the support of our fans we will be able to do better, although we know it will be difficult. We have all the prerequisites for tomorrow’s match to be a great football match. May the best team win, and I hope it’s Paris Saint-Germain.”
