Even Mbappé has to defend: PSG boss on Borussia Dortmund semifinal

Posted Tuesday, May 07, 2024 by ESPN

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has called on star forward Kylian Mbappe to defend in their Champions League semifinal second leg against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday in order to overturn his team's 1-0 deficit.

Asked at his pre-match news conference on Monday what he can do to help Mbappe impact the game more after a quiet first-leg performance, Luis Enrique said the France captain needs to contribute at both ends of the pitch.

"As we are a team, we ask the attackers to help make sure few balls reach the defence," he said.

"We are all a team and everyone plays a part. Even world-class stars have to help defend."

The Spanish coach, who usually speaks through an interpreter, said with certainty that his team will progress in using the one phrase he knows in his team's native language.

Kylian Mbappe struggled to influence the first leg of PSG's Champions League semifinal.

"That is the only sentence I know in French, 'on va gagner,' we are going to win," he said.

"It is a sentence I like, and I always think my team will win, so that is what I say."

Luis Enrique said that being behind in the tie heading into the game at the Parc de Princes was not something that worried him.

"I think it's a perfect state of mind to face up to an episode in your professional or personal life," he said. "Always be prepared for things to go wrong and, if necessary, be able to turn things around. Not feeling affected, or as little as possible, and being able to get a good result."

Meanwhile, his Dortmund counterpart Edin Terzic spoke of the need for his team to improve on their first-leg performance in order to reach European club football's showpiece event.

"We showed a good game last week, which gave us that little lead. But that performance probably won't be enough to get us into the final," Terzic said at his news conference.

"We have to do everything together tomorrow, with a good plan, with a good idea. Paris will certainly do better than last week. We want to earn this ticket to the final. We'll tackle that together tomorrow."

Terzic added that his team would be fully committed in the game and talked up the opportunity facing him and his players.

"They have a mission, we have a huge dream... There are enough things we have to do better, because they will do better," he said.

"Part of the success was bringing that intensity onto the pitch. If we need to, we'll run another 20 kilometres."