Villarreal head coach Inigo Perez has urged his squad to abandon all fear when they host European champions Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. Despite their domestic struggles, the Yellow Submarine are relishing the chance to test themselves against a side Perez described as a steamroller.
Unstoppable PSG travel to Spain aiming for record run
European champions Paris Saint-Germain travel to the Estadio de la Ceramica to face Villarreal in their fourth UEFA Champions League fixture. Luis Enrique's side arrive in Spain riding a nine-game winning streak across all competitions, most recently beating Le Havre 5-1 thanks to an Achraf Hakimi hat-trick.
PSG remain unbeaten in their last 13 Champions League matches, equaling a club record established between 2012 and 2014.
Conversely, Villarreal enter the contest sitting second from bottom in La Liga following a disappointing weekend defeat to Espanyol.
Perez warns Villarreal not to show any fear
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Villarreal manager Inigo Perez insisted his team must cast aside any inferiority complex against the reigning champions. "Against this type of team is when you have to abandon fear, you have to abandon complexes and reaffirm yourself," Perez declared.
"Try to show that you also have the level, because if they smell fear they won't forgive you."
"Regardless of the stadium, the opponent or the context, they're a steamroller. That's exactly what we expect. We know all about their strengths," the coach added.
Gueye relishes dream tie against world's best
Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye echoed his manager's sentiments, highlighting the emotional excitement of taking on the French outfit. "When you look at the last few years of the Champions League, it's perhaps the best team in the world. They have individual players but for me we have a very good team," Gueye noted.
"The truth is that it is complicated because they are very fast, they have the ability to play together."
"For us it is also a dream since we were young to play in the Champions League. We want to give everything and we want to win tomorrow," Gueye affirmed.
Tactical openings present major test for hosts
Perez expects an open encounter, believing PSG's aggressive approach will create attacking space unlike their recent domestic opponents. "Mentally, we know they're going to come after us... Beyond anything I can say here, the most important thing is to be ready to compete," Perez stated.
"There's nothing better than facing the best. I don't see it as a problem. We embrace it. Tomorrow is a huge test for us."
Villarreal focus on delivering a disciplined display to disrupt the European champions.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
