Luis Enrique sliding doors Newcastle United moment | OneFootball

Luis Enrique was a very dependable midfielder/forward with Real Madrid and Barcelona between 1996 and 2004. He also appeared in three World Cup Final tournaments for Spain.

He was renowned for his stamina and temperament, the latter of which would serve him well in the years to come.

He played under Sir Bobby Robson at Barca during the 1996/97 season and there is my first Newcastle United connection.

The second one is that he was a part of the Barcelona team with Rivaldo and Figo etc, who were famously beaten at St James’ Park in the Champions League, courtesy of an inspirational and breathtaking Tino Asprilla hat-trick.

The third connection is much more recent and occurred on the 3rd October 2023.

Luis Enrique had previously taken the reins as Paris Saint-Germain manager three months earlier. He inherited a squad packed with star players including Kylian Mbappe.

When PSG racked up at St James’ Park on that unforgettable Autumn night, Enrique would find out once again just how good a hungry and inspired United can be under the Gallowgate floodlights.

We hammered the Parisians 4-1 in the Champions League, in the so-called ‘Group of Death’, and at that stage it looked like it was Enrique’s side that were going to perish.

Roll onto the Parc de Princes nearly two months later (28th November 2023), and Newcastle are leading PSG 1-0 with literally seconds to go.

Both club’s Champions League prospects were still in the balance, when PSG were given a lifeline thanks to a harsh and controversial penalty.

Mbappe did the rest and PSG would later go on to progress in the competition, before eventually losing in the semi-finals.

Luis Enrique is a cultured man and an apparent avid student of the game, I have little doubt that he learned a lot about his new side after these two games against United.

He soon introduced a new style of play, finally got shot of Mbappe and a few others, and gave chances to exciting youngsters. His own signings instantly integrated into their new surroundings, showing some of that excellent temperament Enrique has always possessed.

In the 2024/25 campaign Enrique’s PSG have been nothing short of phenomenal.

After securing a domestic League and Cup double, PSG lined up against Internazionale at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League Final.

They ended up blowing away the hapless Italians 5-0, in a performance that has set a new benchmark for next season’s CL competition

Finally, a man has come to the fore and fulfilled the wishes of everyone involved with the Paris club. PSG and their supporters have finally had the biggest prize in European football delivered.

I think Luis Enrique may just owe Eddie Howe a slight debt of gratitude.

They are both similarly likeable coaches and I repeat, the experience of the games between Newcastle United and PSG may have been one of the sliding doors moments in Luis Enrique turning PSG around.