Luis Enrique admitted it could be “contradictory” for Paris Saint-Germain to purpose for a top-eight Champions League end, as he desires his staff to play extra matches.
Final season, PSG have been at risk of lacking out on the play-offs however completed fifteenth within the 36-team standings, then went on to win the competitors for the primary time.
This time period, they’re sitting third within the desk with two video games left, although solely two factors separate them from ninth place, with the highest of the standings extremely congested as groups battle to advance on to the spherical of 16.
PSG will play fewer video games than final season no matter the place they end, having suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Paris FC within the final 32 of the Coupe de France final week.
And Luis Enrique believes the lighter schedule that comes with making the highest eight might hinder his staff.
“To be trustworthy, I feel it’s essential for the staff’s confidence to win and take the three factors, however I’m unsure it’s the perfect factor, as a result of if we qualify within the prime eight, we gained’t play within the play-offs,” Luis Enrique mentioned forward of assembly Sporting CP on Tuesday.
“And we’ll already be lacking the Coupe de France matches. Nevertheless it’s sure that the target is to win and end within the prime eight groups, even when I’m unsure that’s the perfect factor. It’s contradictory.”
PSG are assembly Sporting for the primary time in Europe, with the Parisiens profitable simply one in all their eight earlier away matches towards Portuguese groups in main European competitions (D2 L5).
From Paris to Lisbon! #UCL pic.twitter.com/YqIz3wmAYP
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 19, 2026
And PSG haven’t misplaced a Champions League match towards a staff from outdoors one in all Europe’s large 5 leagues since December 2013 in a 2-1 loss at Benfica – they’re unbeaten in 32 such matches since then (W26 D6).
Luis Enrique’s facet drew their final European match 0-0 towards Athletic Membership, however they arrive into this recreation on the again of a powerful 3-0 victory over Lille in Ligue 1.
“There’s no higher competitors for a participant or for the staff,” Luis Enrique mentioned.
“When it comes to efficiency, it’s in the identical vein as final season, after we dominated the matches however didn’t win on account of a scarcity of effectivity.
“We’re within the essential a part of the season. We’re getting injured gamers again. It’s the perfect time of the season; we have to put together properly and be centered. It’s an essential second within the Champions League.
“Tuesday’s match is in an distinctive stadium towards a tricky staff like Sporting. They’re a staff with high quality gamers who prefer to have the ball.
“It is going to be tight and troublesome, maybe much like the Athletic match. We knew we had a troublesome schedule. We’d like the three factors to safe qualification for the spherical of 16.”
