Enrique's Vision Key to PSG's Transformation

In the new-look Paris Saint-Germain side who have made it to the Champions League final at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena on May 31, the superstar is no longer on the pitch but instead in the dugout.

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PARIS – In the new-look Paris Saint-Germain side who have made it to the Champions League final at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena on May 31, the superstar is no longer on the pitch but instead in the dugout.

In transforming a team into arguably the most feared side on the continent, PSG coach Luis Enrique has also revived his own reputation after being sacked from his previous job.

The former Barcelona and AS Roma boss was appointed in July 2023, after being dismissed by Spain seven months earlier, following their disappointing last-16 exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The PSG job appeared something of a poisoned chalice, with his predecessors unable to deliver Champions League success that the club's Qatari owners desired.

The team were handicapped by the presence of superstars Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé all together, three great forwards who naturally did not much care for defending.

With the first two gone and Mbappé's eventual departure inevitable, Enrique understood he would be allowed time to mould a team in his shape.

"We are in the middle of building a new identity, our own style and way of playing, and a new culture," PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said early last season.