PSG’s Enrique Shifts Focus to Liverpool Test after Dominant Win over Lille

Alsharq Tribune- Mohamed Essam 

Saturday's 4-1 win over Lille was a test for Paris St Germain ahead of the Champions League round of 16 clash with Liverpool, PSG coach Luis Enrique said.

PSG scored four goals in the first half to win their 10th match in a row in all competitions. The French champions are unbeaten since a loss at Bayern Munich in November.

"It's the best first half of the season," Enrique told reporters. "Now we have to think about the... two games against Liverpool, think about recovering and be ambitious.

"They're the most in-form team in Europe, both in terms of results and the way they play. It could have been a Champions League final, so we're going to try and play to our strengths."

Premier League leaders Liverpool topped the table in the league phase of the Champions League, while PSG finished 15th and beat Brest in the playoffs to reach the round of 16. PSG and Liverpool met twice in 2018 in the Champions League's group stage, with both teams winning at home.

"We're not going to change much. Today was a test, Liverpool and Lille have similar things. We put them under such pressure that they could no longer play from the back, they had to play long," Enrique said.

"It will be different, it will be very complicated of course, but we are in the best period of the season. We're going to play against the best team in Europe, who qualified brilliantly.

"But it's not in our mentality to speculate, protect ourselves, stay defensive, we're going to attack and we're going to try to turn that in our favor." PSG host Liverpool in the first leg of the tie on Wednesday, with the second leg set for March 11 at Liverpool.