It is part of footballing orthodoxy. A tough away game demands a certain approach in the opening 20 minutes. Keep it tight. Keep everyone behind the ball. Keep it 0-0. Depress the home crowd with dullness and defensiveness. Don’t run forward. But Luis Enrique is not a subscriber to that school of thought.
Enrique sees the pragmatists and scorns them. He approaches football matches like a Formula One grand prix, as though whoever gets to the first bend in the lead wins, even if they need a pit stop and a couple of new tyres somewhere along the way. Paris Saint-Germain were the club who were known for the tragicomic end to their Champions League campaigns. In Enrique’s cultural revolution, they are notable for their scintillating starts.
