Coach Enrique: 'PSG vs Newcastle is like a final'

France coach Luis Enrique wants his players to fight Newcastle like it's a final, when the two teams meet in round five of Group F of the Champions League.

Before the penultimate round of matches, PSG were second in Group F with six points, one point behind leaders Dortmund and just two points ahead of bottom-placed Newcastle. This is the most unpredictable group in the Champions League this season, with each team only one point ahead of the team behind, even though there are only two rounds left.

"I expect a great atmosphere at home," coach Enrique said at a press conference before the match at the Parc des Princes. "We will play like a final. Newcastle are very strong physically, playing with high intensity. PSG must be ready to respond."

Coach Enrique was nervous at a press conference before the match against Newcastle in Paris, France. Photo: AP

PSG lost 1-4 to Newcastle in the first leg in October. At that time, coach Enrique "accepted" the English representative's entire midfield when he let PSG play with an unbalanced 4-2-4 formation. The two midfielders of PSG were constantly pressured by Newcastle with high intensity, causing the French representative's attack to be almost completely divided.

Newcastle also just thrashed Chelsea 4-1 in the Premier League and will go to France with nothing to lose. "We will have a lot of difficulties with their style of play, like Chelsea just had to face," added coach Enrique.

PSG are in good form with a six-game winning streak to consolidate their position at the top of Ligue 1. "Things are not yet as I would like," the Spanish tactician said of PSG's style of play this season. "But the team is in a phase of discovery , looking to get more out of the players and will go further."

PSG will advance to the Champions League knockout stage if they beat Newcastle and Milan fail to beat Dortmund. In the final round, PSG will play away at Dortmund, while Newcastle will host Milan.

"Everything can only be decided in the last match," coach Enrique predicted about the situation in Group F. "Our job is to be ready for anything that can happen. I hope to see the most enthusiastic atmosphere from the fans."

The heat of the match was pushed up, when a large brawl broke out between Newcastle and PSG fans in Paris last night, November 27. According to Sun , Newcastle fans said that PSG extremists stormed into a restaurant and threw chairs, smashed windows and set off flares in front of horrified families and children.

Vy Anh

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