Luis Enrique eyeing for unbeaten Ligue 1 campaign with PSG
No team has ever enjoyed an unbeaten season en route to the Ligue 1 title, but that is the challenge Paris Saint-Germain have been set.
Luis Enrique is relishing the prospect of becoming the first team to finish Ligue 1 unbeaten, with Paris Saint-Germain just a draw away from a fourth straight title.
PSG sit top of the Ligue 1 standings with 71 points, having won 22 and drawn five of their 27 matches so far. They are just seven games away from the historic Ligue 1 milestone, with Angers standing in their way on Saturday.
Luis Enrique's side are also challenging for their first Champions League title, hosting Aston Villa in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday.
Form is on PSG's side this weekend. They have won each of their last 15 games against Angers, the longest winning streak by one team against another in the competition's history.
"I wasn't interested in [records] until now, but of course, we want to go unbeaten throughout the season," Luis Enrique told reporters on Friday.
"We don't just want to be champions, but we want to be competitive and perform well. We want to improve our records and statistics.
"We can always improve. The players can get individually and collectively. We are trying to train in a way that can be reflected in matches. We changed things. It's a collective sport, so it's very hard to reach the highest level."
PSG could have won the title last weekend, having thrashed Saint-Etienne 6-1, but other results did not go their way. Monaco beat Nice in a game in which Luis Enrique's side needed a draw.
Although the 54-year-old said his focus remained on 14th-placed Angers, he reflected on former PSG coach Unai Emery's Villa, who are on a six-match winning streak in all competitions ahead of hosting Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
"I know about Unai Emery and his ability to analyse his opponents and strengthen his teams. He's a top coach. He has shown that at different clubs," Luis Enrique said.
"We know what sort of opponents we will be facing. Last year, they were at a very high level. I think they are a more complete team this season."
Luis Enrique also got a close look at the new Club World Cup trophy, which is on a tour ahead of its expanded 32-team edition debuting in June.
PSG will be competing in the tournament, with Atletico Madrid their first opponents on June 15. They are also in a group with Botafogo and Seattle Sounders.
No French side has ever won the Club World Cup.
"We are the only French representative in the competition, so we are representing France, and that is an extra source of motivation for us," Luis Enrique said.
PSG have found glory in Europe hard to come by, losing the Champions League final in 2019-20 and getting knocked out in the semi-finals by Borussia Dortmund last season.
"We can't always be perfect. We will suffer, and there could be lapses in focus. That has been a constant theme in my career as a coach," Luis Enrique added.
"We want to show that we are competitive, and we have been competitive in Europe for many years.
"We want to be an outstanding team on the global stage."