Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique brutally criticised Barcelona’s playing style under former teammate Xavi.
The ex-Barcelona player and manager made the comments ahead of PSG’s Champions League quarter-final double header against the Catalans last season.
PSG head coach Luis Enrique tore into Barcelona’s playing style when the side’s met in last season’s Champions LeagueGetty
Preparing to take on his former side, Luis Enrique made the observation whilst filming for a new documentary entitled ‘Luis Enrique: You have no f*****g Idea’.
The show covered his first season in charge of the French champions.
After seeing off Real Sociedad in the Round of 16, PSG were given a fright in their first-leg clash against Barca at the Parc des Princes.
Luis Enrique’s men were beaten 3-2 in Paris before staging an almighty comeback in Spain six-days later, winning 4-1.
Ahead of the second leg Luis Enrique said: “Barca aren’t guaranteed to [dominate games], they haven’t in two seasons with Xavi.”
“They aren’t a dominant team and they are not a good team defensively, either. They defend with bodies but they don’t have quality in defence.”
Much of the build up to the tie was dominated by the pair’s Barcelona connections having played together for six years between 1998 and 2004.
Despite the one-goal deficit going into the clash at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Luis Enrique went on to defend his side’s performance in the first leg whilst delivering a damning verdict on Barca’s style.
“It’s a lie to say Barca were better, that’s completely false,” he said.
“They played long balls. [Goalkeeper Marc-Andre] ter Stegen broke the record for long passes – I think it was 24.
PSG were beaten 3-2 in the first leg but turned it around a week later, winning 4-1Getty
Xavi was unable to get the better of his former teammate Luis EnriqueGetty
Luis Enrique guided Barcelona to the a historic Treble in 2015
“They play like Eibar. It was all long balls. Call it the third man if you’re a fan of Xaxi.”
The documentary is set for release later this week and ahead of its screening, the PSG boss revealed his side’s clash with Barcelona was ‘horrible’ and that he hopes to never face his former side again whilst he remains in management.
Enrique spent three years in charge at the Nou Camp and guided the club’s array of stars which included a star-studded front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar to a historic Treble in the 2014/15 campaign.
In the documentary, he reveals that Barcelona contacted him about a return to the club as manager in the 2022/23 season whilst Xavi was still in charge.
“They called [my agent Ivan de la Peña],” he explained. “I said to him: ‘Ask them what happens if Xavi wins LaLiga and the Copa, are they going to sack him?’ I already knew the answer.”
