UCL: Enrique Wary of Depleted PSG
Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique says Paris Saint-Germain still have the ability to hurt his side despite missing a host of key players.
The Catalan giants travel to Paris for their UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-final first leg today, but the hosts could be without up to four regular first-team starters.
Former Barca man Zlatan Ibrahimovic is suspended, as is Marco Verratti, while David Luiz (hamstring) and Thiago Motta (thigh) are injured.
Barca have full-back Dani Alves missing, also through suspension, and Luis Enrique says PSG’s absentees cannot be allowed to become a distraction.
“They have players missing, that can’t be hidden, but remember the group stage game when Ibrahimovic wasn’t playing and they beat us 3-2.
“When he did play, we won 3-1 at Camp Nou. They’re important players, no doubt about that, but they’ve got a deep squad and they’re going to create complications for us,” he said.
Back in September, David Luiz, Verratti and Blaise Matuidi were all on target in PSG’s home triumph in Group F, and the Barca coach is well aware his players cannot afford similar lapses at the back.
Luis Enrique also refused to be drawn on questions concerning Neymar, who reacted angrily to being substituted during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Sevilla.
