Regarding the incident in the Lyon and Saint-Etienne match, he said: “I strongly condemn what happened with the assault on the referee in the Lyon and Saint-Etienne match; I denounce such behaviors that do not reflect the general conduct of the fans.”
On motivating the players, he added: “Motivating all players to be ready for the match is a significant challenge faced by any coach, especially the players who participate at irregular intervals. I assure you that Bachu has improved and will be ready for the match.”
Regarding set pieces, he continued: “We will train on set pieces in the same way we prepared for the match against Liverpool, as Arsenal is distinguished in executing set pieces.”
On adjustments to the starting lineup, he confirmed: “I make adjustments to the starting lineup when necessary, especially in the Champions League, where I must choose the best 11 players. However, to achieve the required goals, we need 18 or 20 players ready and cohesive, which is difficult because each player’s behavior differs from another.”
On the players’ roles in the team, he pointed out: “I always try to motivate the players to step out of their comfort zones and utilize them in different positions or roles. The most prominent player for me is the one who can help the team in any role, not just someone who insists on playing in one position only.”
Regarding the young players, he said: “The young players in the team are younger than my children, so I treat them like a father in terms of nurturing and discipline. They have a unique mentality, and I hope they participate in matches more, but that is not easy.”
On the importance of psychological and physical management, he explained: “Every player has a degree of pride, so managing the psychological, mental, and physical aspects is crucial in football, especially when playing every three days.”
Enrique praised his Portuguese player Nuno Mendes, saying: “He is like a fighter jet; he is strong defensively and offensively. I admire his level and mentality, and he is always ready to give his best. I know him well since I was the coach of the Spanish national team, and I struggled against him in a previous match against Portugal in the Nations League.”
Enrique also revealed Ousmane Dembélé’s anger in the final minutes of the Aston Villa match due to his feeling that the team had lost control and was about to equalize on aggregate, which disappointed him. He wanted to send a message to his teammates about the need for improvement, and I believe we qualified deservedly.
