English Premier League
Luis Enrique praises Paris Saint-Germain mentality after UEFA Super Cup triumph
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique praised his players’ character after they beat Aston Villa 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup, insisting it was far from easy to produce another victory after only a short period of preparation.
The success in Salzburg on Wednesday gave Paris Saint-Germain the trophy for a second consecutive season. It also extended their run to four successive European honours, with two UEFA Champions League titles and two UEFA Super Cup victories.
Luis Enrique said he had not been surprised by the way his side responded in Austria, because he was already familiar with the quality and mentality within the squad.
“I was not surprised, because I know the players well and I know what they are capable of. It was extremely complicated, exactly as it was last season,” he told Canal+ after the match.
The Spanish coach said the circumstances made the achievement particularly significant, given the limited time available to prepare the squad.
“We must highlight what the team produced, because it is not easy at all when you have only a few days of training,” he added, in comments reported by RMC.
Luis Enrique had raised concerns about the situation at his pre-match news conference, warning that time was short and that most of his players were not ready to feature in competitive matches. They had only recently returned from holiday after taking part in the 2026 World Cup.
Despite those difficulties, Paris Saint-Germain secured another trophy and showed the competitive attitude that their manager believes is central to the team’s success.
Luis Enrique also praised the players’ motivation and their willingness to continue competing at the highest level. He said their enthusiasm made it straightforward to prepare them for another demanding occasion.
“It is very easy to motivate these players, because they love what they do. I think the situation is almost perfect,” he said.
The manager acknowledged that winning trophies repeatedly was an especially difficult challenge, but urged his squad to enjoy the latest achievement while immediately maintaining their high ambitions.
“It is extremely difficult to win trophies consecutively, so we must enjoy what we have achieved, but at the same time we have to be ambitious and professional in trying to win everything again,” Luis Enrique said.
He ended his assessment with a clear statement of the club’s intentions for the season ahead.
“These are the ambitions we have,” he said.
Paris Saint-Germain’s latest European success came after they overcame Aston Villa 2-1 in the match staged in Salzburg, Austria. The victory means the club have now followed two UEFA Champions League triumphs with two consecutive UEFA Super Cup wins, underlining the scale of their recent achievements despite the restricted preparation period following the 2026 World Cup.
