Luis Enrique has been named the new head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, and the former Barcelona manager has been given a two-year contract at Parc des Princes.
Before making Christophe Galtier’s firing official at the beginning of the week, PSG ultimately secured a contract termination deal with him and had Luis Enrique ready to take over. Since being fired by Spain after their unexpected round of 16 World Cup defeat at the hands of Morocco, the Spaniard had remained jobless. But, PSG has concluded he is the best candidate to lead the club ahead because of his outstanding resume at the top level.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Galtier paid the price for an underwhelming 2022-23 campaign that saw PSG limp to an unconvincing defence of their Ligue 1 crown and exit the Champions League in the first knockout stage for the fourth time in the last six years. Luis Enrique will be expected to transform the Parisians into genuine contenders for European football’s most prestigious trophy, having been brought on board until at least the end of the 2024-25 season.
AND WHAT’S MORE: Luis Enrique previously became a Champions League winner at Barcelona, who he guided to a historic treble in his first season in charge at Camp Nou in 2014-15. He won nine trophies in total during his time in Catalonia but stepped down in the summer of 2017. Spain came calling the following year, and he was on the touchline for 44 matches for the national team, recording 24 wins alongside 11 draws and nine losses. La Roja reached the Euro 2024 semi-finals under his stewardship, but disappointed on the global stage in Qatar last year.
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WHAT NEXT FOR PSG? Luis Enrique will now set about stamping his mark on the PSG squad. He will not get the chance to work alongside two of his former players, though, with Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos both having left the club at the end of June. Kylian Mbappe has been tipped to join them amid an ongoing contract dispute, but Luis Enrique will be determined to keep hold of the Frenchman for the 2023-24 campaign.
