Paris St Germain boss Luis Enrique is not taking anything for granted despite welcoming Brest for the return leg of their Champions League knockout play-off boasting a 3-0 lead.
No team has ever been eliminated with a three-goal advantage from the away leg in the competition’s history, although the French champions are the only team to have blown a two-goal cushion secured on the road.
Furthermore, Manchester United’s stunning comeback at PSG in 2018-19’s round of 16 came just two years after ‘La Remontada’, when a 4-0 win against Barcelona in Paris was followed by a 6-1 collapse in Spain.
Current PSG boss Luis Enrique was in the Barca dugout back then and stressed that “nothing has been decided” before hosting fellow Ligue 1 side Brest at the Parc des Princes.
“We got a good result in the first leg, but the second leg can be complicated,” he said. “Brest are a very well-constructed team that works well. They can play long balls, they can cause us problems.
“We must forget the first-leg result and our only goal is to win the second leg. It’s our duty to want to win this game.
“The atmosphere will be great, we’ll have support from the very start. We’ll have to go into the game with the desire to win and forget about what we did in the first leg.”
Ousmane Dembele’s hat-trick did the damage in last week’s first leg against Brest, who sit ninth in the Ligue 1 standings during what has been a first Champions League season to remember.
Eric Roy’s side beat Sturm Graz, Salzburg, Sparta Prague and PSV in the league phase, as well as securing a draw with German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
“Brest’s strength is their team, not necessarily their individuals,” Luis Enrique said.
“But (Ludovic) Ajorque is a difficult player to play against, because he is able to run from deep if we don’t press him well. He’s able to get in behind and create an overload.
“He’s been good against us every time we’ve played. We know it’s not going to be an easy game. Nothing has been decided.”
An interesting performer on Wednesday will be big-money January acquisition Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has scored one and provided another since signing from Napoli.
“I’m happy with what he is contributing,” Luis Enrique said. “He needs time to adapt, to a new language, a new country for him and his family.
“But I’m very happy with how he is training. We’re not in a hurry, he’s settling in very well. The process will take the time it takes.”
