Olaleye IDOWU
PSG manager, Luis Enrique, has picked the team that is well-positioned to win the Champions League this season.
Speaking to reporters following his team’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Wednesday night, the Spaniard said that PSG are the favourites to retain their title this season.
The former Barça boss said his side should still be seen as the top team to win the Champions League this season, ahead of the unbeaten Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
PSG ended their Champions League group stage with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
That result means PSG and Newcastle both ended up outside the top eight and did not get an automatic spot in the Champions League last-16 round.
PSG and Newcastle have to wait until Friday to find out which team they will face in the play-off round.
One team will play against Monaco, and the other team will take on Qarabag from Azerbaijan.
Arsenal were the only team that won all eight of their matches in the Champions League group stage, and now many people think they are the top team to win the competition this season.
Last season, PSG did not make the top eight and had to play in the play-off round before winning the Champions League.
Luis Enrique’s team beat Brest 10-0 in the play-offs and then went on to defeat Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal on their way to the final.
In the final, they beat Inter 5-0.
After PSG drew with Newcastle, Luis Enrique strongly said his team should be seen as the main contenders to win the Champions League again for the second year in a row.
“I don’t have anything to criticise my players for, even if some of them didn’t play as well as they usually do. Luis Enrique said. I don’t see anyone as a bigger favourite than we compete.
“We can improve and achieve better results. But we’re here, we’re ready. We’ll find out who we face, either Monaco or Qarabag. ‘I’m very demanding of my team.
“We need to figure out who we’re going up against. We had 13 points before the last game. We deserved to win against Newcastle. The defeat in Lisbon, however, was undeserved.”
