Much like his playing days, Luis Enrique has been largely underrated as a manager.
The versatile midfielder didn’t always receive the plaudits he quite frankly deserved while starring in La Liga during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Three league titles, three Copa del Reys and two Supercopa de Espanas are not to be sniffed at.
Perhaps it was because he became one of the rare few to don both the blaugrana and the blancos, a controversial figure in the eyes of Real Madrid fans and welcomed cautiously by Barcelona’s as he made the transfer between two of football’s biggest rivals.
Playing alongside legendary forwards like Raul Gonzalez, Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert may also have hampered his chances of making headlines, as Enrique dutifully carried out his midfield service.
Since hanging up his boots in 2004 and later going into management, his achievements on the touchline have often been overlooked, too.
Following spells at Roma and Celta Vigo, he returned to Catalonia to manage Barcelona in the wake of their golden tika-taka years under Pep Guardiola.
Despite huge pressure from the success of Guardiola's tenure, he led Barca to an historic treble in his first season in charge. However, it was the famous MSN trio - Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar - who largely stole the headlines, as some played down the impact of Enrique’s managerial work.
Neymar birthday: Champions League stories of the final - Barcelona v Juventus 2015
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On paper, his time coaching the national Spanish side goes down as relatively unsuccessful with no silverware from European Championship, World Cup and Nations League campaigns. But advocates of Enrique's international management would argue he coached the team following a golden generation and led the foundations for a new era which would win UEFA Euro 2024 two years after his departure.
Ten years on from that treble winning season at Barcelona, Luis Enrique has the chance to do it again - this time with Paris Saint-Germain.
They are being tipped as favourites for the 2024/25 final against Inter on Saturday, however Simone Inzaghi’s side will be keen to make amends after losing to Manchester City in the final two years ago.
‘Our names etched into history’ – Marquinhos on PSG's chase for first UCL crown
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Having already been crowned champions of Ligue 1 and lifted the Coupe de France this season, a Champions League would complete the continental treble set for PSG. It’s an achievement the club have never managed, despite domestic dominance in France.
In addition to cementing legendary status in the Paris history books, it would also make Luis Enrique just the second ever manager to win the continental treble in Europe twice.
Pep Guardiola is currently the only one to do it, boasting treble glory with Barcelona in 2008/09 and then in 2022/23 with Manchester City.
Which managers have won the continental treble in Europe?
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**1\. Jock Stein - Celtic (1966–67)**
The first to ever do it, Stein led Celtic to the Scottish league title, Scottish Cup and European Cup. This historic season was also the first time a British side had won the European Cup.
Jock Stein
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**2\. Stefan Kovacs - Ajax (1971–72)**
Taking over from Rinus Michels, Kovacs continued Ajax’s dominance, winning the Eredivisie, Dutch Cup, and European Cup with a team led by Johan Cruyff. This was the second of three straight European cup wins for Ajax, although only once did they manage to lift it as part of a treble.
Stefan Kovacs
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**3. Guus Hiddink - PSV Eindhoven (1987–88)**
This was PSV Eindhoven’s most glorious season. Only once have they lifted the European Cup, and it came as they also lifted the Dutch league and domestic cup under a 41 year-old Guus Hiddink. The European Cup was clinched after a dramatic penalty shootout against Benfica in the final.
Guus Hiddink
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**4\. Sir Alex Ferguson - Manchester United (1998–99)**
Sir Alex Ferguson wrote his name in Manchester United folklore with their treble in the iconic 1998/99 season. Having won the Premier League and FA Cup, United found themselves 1–0 down to Bayern Munich in the final of the Champions League. However, two goals in injury time from Teddy Sherringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won it for them in one of the most dramatic finishes to a European final.
Sir Alex Ferguson
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**5\. Pep Guardiola - Barcelona (2008–09) & Manchester City (2022/23)**
Guardiola is currently the only manager to win a continental treble in Europe twice. In his first season as a senior manager, he transformed Barca into a juggernaut, winning La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League. Then after domestic success in previous seasons with Manchester City, he led the club to their first ever Champions League title, while also being crowned champions of the Premier League and FA Cup in a dominant season.
Pep Guardiola
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**6\. José Mourinho - Internazionale (2009–10)**
Mourinho’s Inter became the first and only Italian club to win the treble to date, beating Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Champions League final after Serie A and Coppa Italia glory. It rounded off a second and final campaign at Inter for ‘The Special One’, who went on to manage Real Madrid in the following season.
Jose Mourinho
Image credit: Getty Images
**7\. Jupp Heynckes - Bayern Munich (2012–13)**
Domestic dominance from Bayern Munich is often the outcome in German football, but coupling that with glory in Europe is another challenge. Jupp Heynckes side managed it in the 2012/13 campaign though, beating fellow Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in an all-German Champions League final.
Jupp Heynckes
Image credit: Getty Images
**8\. Luis Enrique - Barcelona (2014–15)**
With Messi, Neymar, and Suárez in full flight, Enrique’s Barça dominated La Liga, lifted the Copa del Rey, and beat Juventus in the Champions League final for their second treble in six years. Can Enrique complete a treble again this year with PSG?
Luis Enrique
Image credit: Getty Images
**9\. Hansi Flick - Bayern Munich (2019–20)**
Having taken over mid-season, Hansi Flick guiden Bayern to a flawless run to win the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League. Their 2019/20 treble-winning season was an unorthodox one though, as the Covid-19 pandemic led to a mid-season pause, before remaining matches were played behind closed doors.
Hansi Flick
Image credit: Getty Images
**When is the 2025 Champions League final?**
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The Champions League final kicks off at 8pm UK time on Saturday, May 31.
Coverage starts from 6pm on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and [discovery+](https://get.discoveryplus.com/gb/watch-tnt-sports-on-discoveryplus?utm_campaign=UK-TNT-D1-TNT-C7-TNT-BAU-DR-W-Football-WorldCup-250101-NA&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tntsports.co.uk&utm_content=story-content-text-subscribe&vid=t195x4xkzysgb752&cid=0ee1b05714eadfd3193bf34fbc4e5980&c=%7B%22875074%22%3A%220%22%2C%221086912%22%3A%220%22%2C%221310352%22%3A%221630781%22%7D), live from the Allianz Arena in Munich.