Luis Enrique will manage later this month in his second Champions League final after he led PSG past Arsenal in their semi-final of the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
A decade after winning the competition with Barcelona, Enrique will return to the touchline for the biggest match in club football, and there are very few who would mislead the honor after he had had a family day off six years ago.
In 2019, Enrique stepped away from coaching the Spanish national team to spend more time with his daughter, Xana, after she was diagnosed with bone cancer.
Xana unfortunately died on August 29, 2019 at the age of only nine and left Enrique and his wife, Elena Cullell, destroyed.
Losing a child is the worst nightmare of every parent, but Enrique spoke moving last year about why he still considered himself 'very happy' in life.
Reflecting on Xana's heartbreaking death, Enrique explained: 'Can I consider myself happy or unhappy? I consider myself happy, very happy.
“” But your daughter died in nine years old “. Well, my daughter came to live with us for nine wonderful years. We have thousands of memories of her, videos, incredible things. '
The clip of Enrique's tribute to his daughter proceeded to show Xana and put a gymnastics routine in the garden while her family filmed and proudly viewed.
Enrique then continued: “My mother couldn't keep photos of Xana until I got home and asked her:” Why are there no pictures of Xana, Mom? “
“I can't do it, I can't do it”. “Mom, you have to set up (photos of Xana)”. Xana lives. She is not in the physical level, but she is in the spiritual level. Because we talk about her every day, we laugh and remember.
'Because I think Xana still sees us. What do I want Xana think about how we have lived this? '
The video ended with Xana enjoys activities such as playing the piano with a bright smile on her face.
Enrique's moving words emphasized how he still feels that Xana is with him every day, and he is determined to make her proud of him.
Enrique returned to take the lead over Spain only three months after the death of Xana and led them to the World Cup 2022.
He was enlightened from his duties after the tournament after the defeat of Spain's penalty shoots by Morocco in the round of 16.
But he was not long from the Dugout because he was appointed PSG manager in July 2023.
He had to deal with Lionel Messi and Neymar after they both left PSG to move to Inter Miami and Al-Hilal respectively that summer.
Yet he still won Ligue 1 and the French cup in his first season in the club.
Kylian Mbappe came to Real Madrid last summer and left Enrique to adapt without another star player.
The 55-year-old manager did exactly that, with PSG who walks to a different league title, while also reaching the final of the French Cup and Champions League.
PSG are only two games away from a historic Treble and have already beaten Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal from Europe this season.
Only Inter Milan stand in the way the French giants who win the Champions League for the first time in their history, about what promises to be an emotional night for Enrique, while he continues to make Xana proud.