PSG manager Luis Enrique has revealed he once watched a Liverpool match from The Kop, having wanted to experience “one of the best stadiums in the world”.
The former Real Madrid and Barcelona player made the visit to Anfield during the 2000s, shortly after he’d retired from playing.
The story, unearthed by journalist Paul Joyce, involved Enrique receiving tickets from then-Liverpool player and fellow Spaniard Luis Garcia, the two former teammates at Barcelona.
And while Enrique says he cannot recall exactly which game it was, Garcia was a Liverpool player from 2004 to 2007.
The warm exchange between the likeable PSG boss and Joyce took place during Enrique’s pre-match press conference at Anfield on Monday afternoon.
Enrique first joked that he could not understand Joyce’s Liverpudlian accent, before enjoying the question and giving a very complimentary response.
“Nice question. How do you know that?” quizzed Enrique, having forgotten he’d once told the story in an old interview many years ago.
“I don’t remember the match but it was nice, I wanted to live as a supporter one of the best stadiums in the world, Anfield. And I enjoyed it a lot, it was different.
“I got the tickets because Luis Garcia was playing here and he gave me the tickets. It was very nice, very special, very different to what I live in the past as a player. I enjoyed it a lot.”
Enrique played at Anfield twice as a Barcelona player, in the UEFA Cup semi final in 2001 when the Reds won 1-0, and later that year in the Champions League when the Spaniards won 3-1.
He brings his side to Anfield on Tuesday evening holding a 2-0 lead from the Champions League first leg.