Luis Enrique warned Paris Saint-Germain against complacency on his way to the second stage of their Champions League quarterfinals second stage against Aston Villa.
PSG is in a strong position to continue to their third semifinal in six seasons, after they have come from behind to win 3-1 in the first stage of last week in Parc des Princes.
However, the recently crowned Ligue 1 champions will not take a matter of course.
After all, they were eliminated on three of the seven earlier occasions when winning the first stage of a Champions League Knock -Out Podium Tie with two or more goals.
And Luis Enrique is certainly approaching the second stage in Villa Park with caution.
“The road to the Champions League is paved with favorites who have been eliminated along the way,” he told reporters during his press conference before the competition.
“Of course we were better in the first stage and we deserved the victory, but that story is behind us. Now a second story begins. We will see who is better, who is going to win.
“We have that advantage, but it does not fit in our opinion philosophy with certainty. We still have the idea not to calculate. If Aston Villa Score or Win, we have to show in this competition that we have the level that is needed to reach the semi -final.”
The team for the quarter -final second stage in the @ChampionsLeague against Aston Villa! #Avfccpsg i #ucl pic.twitter.com/j7iqrqmpap
-Paris Saint-Germain (@psg_englait) April 14, 2025
After recently sealing a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 -crown, PSG is on track to secure a treble this season, whereby the club also confronted Reims in the Coupe Final in the Coupe de France -final on 24 May.
Luis Enrique is impressed by the maturity of his side, which have generally remained focused on the task, despite the growing expectations that surround them.
“As time passes, the scenarios around us change,” he added. “We have gone from the maximum pessimism that we saw at the start of the season, to the excessive motivation and joy that we are currently seeing.
“The key in these cases is the maturity that we see, despite the youth of my team. The possibility to forget everything is going on and to stay focused on the game. Because nothing has been done, it is not over yet.
“It will be difficult, and we expect to suffer. If we are willing to suffer, this means that we are ready to achieve our goal, what the victory is.”