If only Chelsea had chosen Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique was once on Chelsea's radar.

Luis Enrique - the coach of Paris Saint-Germain - could very well have been sitting on the Chelsea bench, had things gone differently two years ago.

If only...

In April 2023, Enrique flew to London to negotiate with Chelsea after the club fired Graham Potter. At that time, he was on the list of candidates along with Julian Nagelsmann and Ruben Amorim. Sources said that Enrique made a strong impression on the “The Blues” leadership, but in the end they chose to take the interim position with Frank Lampard and then give the official position to Mauricio Pochettino.

Enrique has always avoided talking about that meeting. When asked at Barcelona airport, he just smiled: “If you dance the haka, I will answer. I have just returned from Formentera - the island of paradise”.

Looking back now, in the context of Enrique helping PSG fly high and play the world's top football, Chelsea probably cannot avoid the haunting question: "If only..."

Luis Enrique is helping PSG fly high.

Of course, it is worth remembering that Enrique was not at his peak. His Spain team had just been eliminated from the 2022 World Cup by Morocco after a pointless display of possession: more than 1,000 passes without a goal. It was argued that he was out of step with modern football.

But great coaches always know how to change. In the past two years, Enrique has not only revived PSG but also renewed himself.

The team once renowned for their egos is now a united, disciplined group that plays fast, direct and intense football. No Messi, Neymar or Mbappe. Enrique has complete freedom to build his own system - something no coach in Paris has ever had.

The result? A young but stubborn PSG, organised but creative. Enrique’s squad is one of the strongest pressing systems in Europe, with Ousmane Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue… exploding in every space.

It’s not just a revolution on the pitch, but also in the transfer room. PSG, under Luis Campos – one of the world’s best sporting directors – have sold 22 first-team players, brought in 20 new faces, and spent more than £600m. And they’ve done it for the sake of football philosophy, not just prestige.

Fate

Coincidentally, PSG's opponent in the final is Chelsea - a team that is also on a rebuilding journey, and also pursuing a radical rejuvenation model.

Under Clearlake Capital's ownership, Chelsea spent more than £1 billion in two years, initially on big names like Sterling and Koulibaly, then quickly pivoted to young players with development potential and high transfer values.

They also created a new footballing outfit with Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley - two figures who had worked at Monaco and Brighton - along with Joe Shields and Sam Jewell.

PSG are playing classy football.

But the difference is still clear in class. PSG have experienced pillars like Marquinhos (31), Fabian Ruiz (29) and Dembele (28). Chelsea do not - the oldest player in the squad is Tosin Adarabioyo, only 27. PSG pay high salaries; Chelsea apply a performance-based salary system, to reduce long-term risks.

And on the coaching bench, the disparity is even more stark: Luis Enrique, a Champions League winner with Barcelona, is up against Enzo Maresca, who is just entering his first season at the top level. Maresca has had a remarkable year, though. He has guided Chelsea to the Conference League title, a return to the Champions League, and now the Club World Cup final. With a young squad, that is not easy.

Centre-back Levi Colwill said before the match: “Most people think PSG will win, but in the dressing room we don’t think so. We are not Inter, we are not Real Madrid. We will bring something different.”

Colwill is not just talking. Maresca's Chelsea dares to play possession football, press high and are loyal to the philosophy of positional play. They do not park the bus, nor do they play for luck. Even against PSG.

Chelsea earned nearly £90m from the US tournament - a handsome reward. But more than the money, the game against PSG is the ultimate test of the project they are pursuing.

And if they want to know how far the gap between “under construction” and “finished” is, they need look no further than the bench opposite - where Luis Enrique is standing, and almost became their man.

That's football - where small choices can make big differences. And in the early hours of July 14, at MetLife Stadium, Chelsea may once again ask themselves: "What if we had chosen Enrique that year?".

Source: https://znews.vn/gia-nhu-chelsea-chon-luis-enrique-post1568266.html