Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is eagerly anticipating his side’s Champions League clash against Arsenal following a convincing 3-1 victory over Rennes in Ligue 1. The win saw PSG rediscover their early-season attacking flair, showcasing some breathtaking goals. The Parisians had previously scored 13 goals in their opening three league games before experiencing a slight dip in form. However, on Friday, they returned to their fluent best as Bradley Barcola bagged a brace and struck the woodwork with a shot that was eventually headed home to secure the victory.
“It was a very complete match from the beginning, we had a lot of chances. We scored three goals but we could have scored more,” a delighted Luis Enrique told BeIN Sports. “The Champions League? We are going to play against another favourite (in Arsenal), it will be a stimulating match, we will prepare ourselves.”
While Barcola might have captured the headlines, it was South Korean striker Lee Kang-in who earned the praise of his coach after an exceptional performance that saw him contribute effectively in both defense and attack. He capped off his display by heading home a rebound from Barcola’s shot off the woodwork.
“He was in the right place to score the goal as a clever striker – I really liked his performance, he gave us consistency, he held the ball up when we needed him to,” Enrique remarked during a post-match press conference. “He is very intelligent with his pressing, he wins back a lot of balls and recovers well. I thought he was superb tonight, it’s a pleasure to have players with that level and mentality,” the coach added.
The 54-year-old Spaniard also expressed satisfaction with his team’s defensive performance, dismissing concerns over conceding goals from set pieces. “Football is not being fair to us, our opponents are creating very few chances against us, far fewer than last season, and they get there (to set pieces) and they score. They scored from a penalty today … we’re not perfect and never will be.”
PSG will face Arsenal in London on Tuesday in the highly anticipated Champions League encounter.
