When Paris Saint-Germain lost Kylian Mbappe, their final mega-star after the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar, it seemed like their time to seal that elusive Champions League title had slipped by.
It had felt like now or never for Les Parisiens and, with Mbappe off to Real Madrid, it seemed never had won.
But that proved to be a disservice to the powers of Luis Enrique.
Luis Enrique control powered PSG’s ascendancy
The Spanish coach arrived in 2023, with Mbappe still at the club but his future hanging in the balance.
Rather than use the Frenchman’s departure as an excuse, Enrique turned it into a positive, providing a platform for young, hungry talents like Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola to shine.
Journalist Guillem Balague, represented by Blueprintx, has dissected precisely what Enrique has got right.
“He made it clear he wouldn't come if a certain culture continued. For the first time since Qatar acquired PSG, they granted total authority to the manager,” Balague explained. “He wanted that authority, but he also drew a very clear line with the past.
“What attracted him to the job was the ability to mould the team to his vision. Galtier left, Neymar left, and Mbappé, everyone knew, he only had one extra year there. Without the club's support in terms of player profiles and sometimes not getting it right, or at least not getting the results, it wouldn't have helped.
“But he has total backing from the hierarchy, and he's managed to mould the team to look close to the best team he's ever had.”
The journalist credits Enrique being able to stamp his own name on the squad, rather than that of a superstar like Mbappe or Messi, for PSG’s recent success.
Balague continued: “You can see Luis Enrique in every aspect of this PSG team. Whether they have the ball or not, this is the team he dreamed of.
“There isn't a single player he has to create new rules or obligations for, like he did with Messi. Everyone does what they need to do.
“I'm pretty sure I've heard him say in private that he's enjoyed his job more than ever at PSG, especially this year.”
Guillem Balague's book – Rise of the Villans: Inside Unai Emery's Aston Villa Revolution – is out now. Balague is represented by Blueprintx. For more information visit Blueprintx.co.uk
