PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique looks on during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
PSG’s Marquinhos, left, and PSG’s Nuno Mendes during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
PSG coach Luis Enrique has a high view of his players from up in the stands
PARIS (AP) 鈥 Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique had a high opinion of his players as they began their Champions League title defense with a 4-0 rout of Atalanta on Wednesday.
PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique looks on during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
PARIS (AP) 鈥 Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique had a high opinion of his players as they began their Champions League title defense with a 4-0 rout of Atalanta on Wednesday.
For the second straight home game he observed the first half from up in the stands rather than down on the sideline, having done so against Lens in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
鈥淚鈥檓 doing the same thing I did in the last match because, from above, I get a lot of information that I can use at halftime,鈥 Luis Enrique told broadcaster Canal Plus before the kickoff against Atalanta. 鈥淗aving more information is important for me.鈥
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Luis Enrique came back down to patrol the touchline for the second half against Atalanta, his left arm in a sling after in a recent cycling accident.
In his pre-match news conference, he explained the reason behind his new approach: it helps him take a step back and view things in perhaps a more detached and objective way. Rugby coaches use this method, whereby they are up in the stands rather than by the field.
鈥淚t’s very different watching the game sitting down. My halftime talk against Lens was totally different because I was up there. I saw things to improve, some mistakes,” he said. “I’ve thought for a long time how we can add something to our way of doing things, and I’m always open to anything that can improve our performance.鈥
Luis Enrique is one of few coaches to have won Europe’s elite club competition with different clubs, having guided a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona to glory in 2015.
Next up for PSG? A trip to Barcelona on Oct. 1.
“With the quality of our players there are no surprises,” he said. “We just need to improve certain things.鈥
Atalanta coach Ivan Juri膰 didn’t see much for PSG to improve on, however.
鈥淲e can’t be too disappointed in ourselves because they’re a really incredible side,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e did really well in the first 10 minutes, but then it became difficult.鈥
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