Luis Enrique has warned Paris St Germain to prepare for a Newcastle onslaught as the sides go head-to-head in Champions League Group F on Tuesday night.
Enrique put the finishing touches to his plan to gain revenge for his side’s 4-1 defeat at St James’ Park in October at a rain-soaked Poissy on Monday morning having paid keen attention to the Magpies’ Premier League demolition of Chelsea.
Eddie Howe’s men were missing 13 senior players on Saturday but still surged to a 4-1 win with a display which impressed the PSG boss.
Enrique said: “If you saw the last match against Chelsea, physically it’s really incredible. Six players are putting on so much pressure, they can pressurise eight players at the same time.
“This intensity in their game and this pressure is something that we need to be prepared for.”
The reigning Ligue 1 champions were soundly beaten on Tyneside as goals from Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar threw the group wide open.
However, Enrique’s men go into their penultimate fixture knowing a win could see them through to the knockout stage and while he is understandably wary of Newcastle, that is his focus.
He said: “The competition could be really short, it is a very complicated group and the ranking is really close, as you see.
“It’s true that now every game is decisive, it’s knockout style. Two teams could be qualified already tomorrow night depending on the results, so until the last day, we don’t know.
“I’m sure that my team is ready, though, ready to play, to be competitive on the pitch and that’s what we’ve been proving throughout the entire season.”
PSG have lost only once in all competitions since their horror show at St James’ – at AC Milan in their last European outing – and trounced Monaco 5-2 on Friday evening.
However, Portuguese midfielder Vitinha admits there is a score to settle against the English club.
Vitinha said: “We spoke after that match. We knew it was not a great result for us, of course. That was a very tough game and we know it’s another tough game tomorrow night awaiting us, but we still want to win.
“Maybe we have that little revenge feeling, but that stays inside us. Tomorrow is going to be a show and that we win, that’s the most important thing.
“We know it’s possible to qualify as fast as tomorrow, but we’re just trying to focus on this match and only on this match because the only way for us to qualify is to win, so that is what we are trying to focus on.
“We have to respect what the coach is asking of us and try to do everything to win this match and have a good standing in this group.”
Mexico boss Aguirre struck by beer can after Honduras defeat
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre was left bloodied after he was struck with a beer can in the aftermath of El Tri's 2-0 CONCACAF Nations League defeat to Honduras.
The can was thrown from the stands and struck Aguirre as he approached Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda for a post-match handshake on Friday.
Celtic winger Luis Palma came off the bench to score both Honduras goals as they seized a 2-0 lead in the teams' quarter-final tie, which will be settled in Toluca on Tuesday.
CONCACAF has said it will investigate the incident, which Aguirre was unwilling to speak about after the match.
"They deserved to win, they were better than us in al areas, I've got nothing left but to congratulate them, and well, to try to lift my team's spirit," said Aguirre.
"The other thing, there's no point in even mentioning it because, well it's football, I'm not one to complain. Their fans made us feel very welcome."
Honduras boss Rueda, meanwhile, said the incident had overshadowed an impressive victory for his team.
"I'm sad because he's a human being. They hit the coach, that can't happen," said Rueda.
Uruguay's last-gasp win over Colombia will 'bring everyone closer', says Bielsa
Marcelo Bielsa believes Uruguay's memorable 3-2 win over Colombia in World Cup Qualifying, secured by Manuel Ugarte's 101st-minute strike, will "bring everyone closer".
Former Leeds United boss Bielsa had found himself under pressure, with La Celeste going five matches without victory since finishing third at the Copa America.
However, they climbed to second in the CONMEBOL qualification group – ahead of Colombia on goal difference – by edging a five-goal thriller in Montevideo.
Andres Gomez's 96th-minute strike had appeared to salvage a point for Colombia, but Ugarte volleyed home following a knock-down from Facundo Pellistri mere moments after Uruguay had kicked off again.
Speaking after the dramatic finale, Bielsa said: "Victories like today are healing in the sense that they bring everyone closer, around a feeling as strong as Uruguay's connection with the national team.
"It was a very exciting match, and the players' determination to secure the win was evident.
"They have a well-oiled style of play; they defend, press, manage the ball, and have individual brilliance, which makes them a tough rival to beat.
"It's not easy to win against this opponent, as they have physically gifted, technically proficient players across all positions, many of whom can change the game's dynamics."
Next up, Uruguay face Brazil, with the Selecao languishing in fourth after they played out a frustrating 1-1 draw with Venezuela on Thursday.
Bielsa, however, is under no illusions regarding the magnitude of the task awaiting his team in Salvador on Tuesday.
"If Colombia is an athletically strong team with an offensively capable system that creates danger and has organisation in possession, Brazil has that and more," he said.
"We will try to control the ball in their half and not ours. Sometimes we succeed, and sometimes we don't, like against Venezuela."
Amorim wants Man Utd players to be inspired by club's history
Ruben Amorim wants his Manchester United players to be inspired by the club's history as he bids to bring a winning mentality back to Old Trafford.
Amorim, taking over at the Premier League club following the departure of Erik ten Hag, was speaking in his first interview with the club after a tour of their home venue.
The Portuguese tactician had visited Old Trafford earlier in the week and met a group of supporters, as well as the women's team's vice-captain, England star Ella Toone.
"When you come [to Old Trafford], it's so different. You see the trophies, you see the tragedy that we have as a club. The history," said Amorim.
The 39-year-old added the manner in which the club defied the odds to succeed under Matt Busby after the Munich air disaster in 1958 should be a particular source of inspiration.
"This kind of strength, I think it's important to put in our team. When the players come here, they should take the stadium tour all the time. I think this is very important to do," Amorim said.
"It's normal if you go a lot of years without winning, you start losing that feeling. So I think we need to put all the players doing the same thing, to regain that feeling.
"We haven't won the Premier League for a long time. But if you ask, United is the biggest club in England.
"So this is part of history, it is not now. So we have to address that, to show that and to try to win again."
Asked what his footballing philosophy is, the former midfielder said it all comes down to being a team.
"The team is the most important thing for me. And if you work as a team, then the talent individually is going to shine," he said.
"But if I have to explain the importance of everything, it is the character, the way we fight, the way we play, and we must have an identity.
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