Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique urged his players to rediscover the ruthlessness and poise that allowed them to destroy Inter Milan 5-0 in the final of the Champions League and explode into the Club World Cup as they went through their final preparations for Monday night’s crucial game in the group stages against Seattle Sounders.
Two weeks after thrashing Inter, PSG walloped Atletico Madrid 4-0 in Pasadena in their opening tie in the 32-team tournament in the United States.
But PSG lost to Botafogo on 20 June as Atletico beat Seattle Sounders.
PSG take on Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field in Seattle knowing victory will take them into the last-16 knockout stages of the competition.
A draw will suffice so long as the match between Atletico Madrid and Botafogo also ends in a stalemate.
“There’s always something to improve,” said Enrique. “Finishing for example. We must show intensity when we have the ball. And when we don’t have the ball, we must manage our shape. The team has shown during the season that it is capable of doing this and playing very good football.”
PSG are seeking a fifth title of the season. On May 31, PSG lifted the Champions League for the first time. In the prelude to claiming European club football’s most prestigious trophy, they won the Coupe de France, the Ligue 1 title and the French Super Cup.
“PSG are a powerhouse,” Seattle Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas told the Seattle Sounders website on the eve of the match.
“We just have to go out there and try and compete as best as we can.”
His side are effectively out of the tournament after losing their games to Botafogo and Atletico Madrid
Beating PSG would allow Seattle Sounders to finish the competition on a high and leave PSG’s stars sweating on the result of the Atletico tie against Botafogo.
Enrique, who has harvested eight trophies since taking over at the Parc des Princes in July 2023, said he did not want to rely on other teams.
“We’re coming into the best part of the competition,” said the 55-year-old Spaniard.
“We have to win to advance, which is motivating. We’re ready for this match. Against Botafogo, we played a game similar to usual. We didn’t deserve to lose, but you have to accept it. Botafogo defended very well. My team performed at a good level and my team knows its strengths.
“For me, losing a match isn’t important. The most important thing is to know where we stand in the competition. And this is an important moment.”
On Sunday in the Club World Cup, in Group G in Philadelphia, Juventus beat Wydad Casablanca 4-1 and in Atalanta, Manchester City annihilated Al Ain 6-0 to reach the last-16.
Juventus and Manchester City will fight for top spot at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando on 26 June.
In Group H, Real Madrid swept past the Mexican outfit Pachuca 3-1 to go top of the pool after pacesetters Red Bull Salzburg played out a 0-0 draw against Al-Hilal in Washington.
