PSG boss Luis Enrique says winner of Liverpool tie will reach final

By Carl Markham, PA

Paris St Germain head coach Luis Enrique believes the team which prevails in their last-16 tie against Liverpool at Anfield will be Champions League finalists.

PSG trail 1-0 from their first leg despite a dominant display at the Parc des Princes but the former Barcelona boss is confident they can turn things around on Tuesday.

“The most important game is the one which comes next and I hope it (the most important game) will be the last one of the season,” he said.

“Even though we’re trailing from the first leg we will be playing our own game from the outset. Regardless of the result (in Paris) we wouldn’t do anything different.

“At the moment we are out so our only option is to go out and win and that is what is driving us.

“I don’t think Arne Slot has much doubts about our starting XI, I’ve got my ideas about his starting XI as well.

“I’m not going to give away who we are going to play or how we are going to play but over the course of two games we will see two of the best teams in Europe, two contenders for the final and whoever goes through will go through to the final.”

Enrique is confident his team can cope with the pressure at a “historic stadium”.

“I am pretty convinced that absolutely every single one of my players will want to play,” he added.

“We know what Liverpool means with a historic stadium and a wonderful history. It’s a huge source of motivation for the players and we want to show we are capable of putting in a performance.

“It is difficult to manage one’s emotions and feelings, these are not easy games to prepare for and it is not easy to be at 100 per cent.

“But you don’t want to be at 105 or 110 per cent because you could get carried away so you have to manage your emotions in the best possible way.”

Winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who impressed in the first leg, is not concerned by what awaits at Anfield.

“When you play at Anfield against Liverpool you don’t need to motivate yourself that much, you already have it inside you,” said the Georgia international.

“We have big mentality in the team and we will just try to win tomorrow, that is our mentality.

“The game will be 50-50, we just have to concentrate on our game, be confident and show them we are here just to win.

“I think it will be the most important game in our season because our goal is to play in the Champions League many times and play in the final.”