Luis Enrique reacts to potential Chelsea tie in Champions League draw
· Yahoo Sports
Luis Enrique has acknowledged there are areas that need attention as PSG wait to learn whether they will be facing Chelsea or Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16.
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Chelsea will find out their Champions League Round of 16 opponent on Friday, with Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United set to be the draw.
Luis Enrique has previously expressed his preference for facing the Blues over Barcelona in the Champions League draw.
He said: “I’ve been asked whether I’d rather face FC Barcelona or Chelsea F.C.… and honestly, I think Chelsea would be the better option for us right now.
“Barcelona are playing with a lot of confidence, a lot of rhythm. In the Champions League, you have to be smart. If I can choose, I’d choose Chelsea.”
But after securing qualification for PSG, the Spaniard has since walked back his comments slightly.
Luis Enrique admits PSG have things to address before a potential Chelsea clash
Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty ImagesParis Saint-Germain narrowly edged past Monaco, winning 5-4 on aggregate to reach the next round.
After the match, Enrique spoke in his press conference about what might lie ahead, including potential ties against Barcelona or Chelsea.
“Emotionally, Barca is a very special team for me,” he began by saying.
“Whether it’s Camp Nou or Chelsea, none is easy. I will adapt to whatever comes. Both Barcelona and Chelsea are incredible teams.
“We’ve played against a team with individual and collective quality; we didn’t expect less from them. We were imprecise in the first half, and we’ve been less than them in that time.
“It’s always nice to go back home; Barcelona is very nice, and Barca is a very special club.
“If we have to go to London to play against Chelsea, we know we have to fix a couple of things.”
Who would Chelsea rather face?
While PSG under Enrique are never an easy proposition, Newcastle present a different kind of challenge that could be even trickier for the Blues.
Chelsea have also had more success against PSG than against Newcastle in recent meetings. They dominated the French side 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final last summer, a result that highlighted their ability to control that particular matchup.
The games against Newcastle have not been as straightforward. Under Eddie Howe, they have become something of a thorn in Chelsea’s side, with a 2-0 win at St James’ Park and a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge both coming last season. Their pressing style seems to cause regular problems for Chelsea’s backline.
If they do get drawn together, it would also set up three straight matches between the two sides across all competitions due to fixture scheduling around that time.
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