‘I will not tell you’ – Luis Enrique talks Barcelona, Xavi ahead of UCL clash

With just a few days left before Barcelona take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the quarterfinal, the excitement has reached fever pitch.

Heading into this game, PSG coach Luis Enrique talked about Barcelona as an opponent along with PSG’s preparation for this home clash.

Enrique on the Barcelona game

Enrique started by suggesting PSG are ready for the encounter. “We are ready for any match. Especially in the Champions League, it is a tournament that motivates the fans and the players,” he said.

The Spaniard went on to talk about the prospect of facing his old club Barcelona. Enrique, after all, both played and coached Barça during his career, notably leading the Catalans to a treble-winning campaign in 2014/15.

“It is special for me to face Barcelona. But I have a great desire to win titles here, to win titles in the club where I am today, which trusts me. I want to give joy to the fans,” Enrique said.

This is not the first time Enrique has asked about the prospect of facing Barcelona. The coach, nonetheless, remained pragmatic and offered a diplomatic response.

Enrique’s message to Xavi

Lastly, Enrique also had a message for coach Xavi Hernandez, but he did not reveal what the message was.

When asked about Xavi, the Spaniard said, “I sent him a message, but I will not tell you about it.”

The relationship between Xavi and Enrique goes way back. Xavi, in fact, had played under Enrique as a player, even featuring in 44 competitive matches.

It happened to be the last season of Xavi at Barcelona, with the midfielder notably helping Barcelona seal the aforementioned treble.

A lot has changed since and as we approach midweek, Xavi and Enrique will have to battle it against each other to gain a crucial advantage in this first-leg quarterfinal round.