Luis Enrique hailed the character his Paris Saint-Germain side showed in winning the UEFA Super Cup, stressing that grinding out victories after so little preparation was no easy feat.
Paris Saint-Germain lifted the UEFA Super Cup for the second year running, beating Aston Villa 2-1 on Wednesday evening in the Austrian city of Salzburg.
"I was not surprised, because I know the players well and I know their abilities," Enrique told Canal+ afterwards. "It was extremely complicated, just as it was last season."
The Spaniard added, as reported by RMC: "We must highlight what the team produced, because it is not easy at all when you only have a few days of training."
He had a point. In the pre-match press conference, Enrique complained about the lack of time and the readiness of most of his players, fresh back from holiday after their involvement in the 2026 World Cup.
His players' hunger to compete drew special praise. "It is very easy to motivate these players, because they love what they do," Enrique explained. "I think the situation is almost ideal."
"It is extremely difficult to win titles consecutively, and so we must enjoy what we have achieved, but at the same time we must be ambitious and professional in order to try to win everything again," he continued.
Enrique signed off with a clear message about where his side are heading: "These are the ambitions we have."
Four European titles now sit in the Parisian trophy cabinet in a row: two Champions League crowns and two Super Cups.