Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique knows his side are in for a tough night in front of the Kop, where he once watched a game
Luis Enrique once watched a game on the Kop (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images)
Luis Enrique once watched a game on the Kop (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images)
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Luis Enrique fears his Paris Saint-Germain side could be walking into a "trap" at Anfield as Liverpool look to pull off a Champions League miracle.
And the Spaniard has explained how he knows from personal experience the positive impact the Kop can have on the Reds.
Liverpool entertain holders PSG in their quarter-final second leg on Tuesday having been fortunate to escape with a 2-0 defeat when comprehensively outplayed in France last week.
The startling difference in the performance and form of the two teams has prompted many observers to declare Enrique's side heavy favourites to book a semi-final berth against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
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But the PSG boss said: "That's the difficulty in this game as you need to be really careful. It's almost a trap. Everyone says you won easily 2-0 and were much better than the opposition.
"But things can change so quickly. The whole result can only change in five minutes anyway, the complexion of the game can change, everything can change. You need to be ready, you can concede in the first half and the game is still open.
"Liverpool are going to have to come out and attack, try to score. But I need to ensure my team knows it will encounter difficulties. It won't be easy. I'm sure we will be suffering in some points.
"When you play in this competition and play away it's always tough, and you're playing a team at Liverpool's level.
"We don't want to allow Liverpool to benefit from their fans and the atmosphere they create, as we know how difficult it is to play in a stadium like Anfield.
"There could be a few pitfalls in this game and it could be a trap. People around the two teams are speaking about the differences that existed last week but it's still going to be a really tight game."
Tuesday is Enrique's fourth visit to Anfield in opposition, having featured twice as a player with Barcelona and been in charge of PSG for their round of 16 second leg meeting last season, when the French side won on penalties after a 1-0 win levelled the aggregate scores.
But he was also on the Kop during mid-2000s shortly after finishing his playing career having been a guest of former Barca team-mate Luis Garcia.
"It was nice," he said. "I wanted to live as a supporter at one of the best stadiums in the world at Anfield.
"I enjoyed it a lot. I remember I got the tickets because Luis Garcia was playing here and he gave me the tickets for me and some more people. It was very different to what I'd lived in the past as a player. I enjoyed it a lot."
While PSG earned victory at Liverpool 13 months ago, Enrique believes the pattern of that game is good reason not to take anything for granted on Tuesday.
"If you analyse the matches we played last year, the first match was similar in the conditions and the situations if not the result," he said. "In the second leg it was so different.
"It's difficult to have control when they press all the time. They need to score goals which means they have to take risks. There's going to be a lot of space. We love to manage the ball but we can attack also with spaces and we love counter-attacks also. It's one of the best things we have.
"As a coach we need to strike a balance. It's only a narrow lead particularly given how well we played in the first leg, but by the same token we are ready to overcome difficulties."
PSG will have a late check on the fitness of forward Bradley Barcola, who has been absent for the past four weeks. Midfielder Fabian Ruiz remains out.
PROBABLE PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN TEAM: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.