Villarreal coach Iñigo Pérez describes the clash against PSG as a “major test” for his side (Tuesday, 9pm)
Villarreal CF head coach Iñigo Pérez appeared before the media on Monday alongside Yellow Submarine midfielder Pape Gueye in the press room at the Estadio de la Cerámica to preview the club’s fourth UEFA Champions League league-phase fixture against Paris Saint-Germain, which will take place on Tuesday at 9pm at Villarreal’s home stadium.
The Navarrese coach began his press conference by highlighting the excitement with which Villarreal are approaching the clash against the Parisian side: “The Espanyol game was a disappointment for everyone. It was a setback in terms of the momentum we had been building, but tomorrow’s match is important and exciting enough for us not to stay in a state of disappointment. We’ve already put that behind us. We’ve recovered and we’re approaching it full of enthusiasm.”
When asked about how to approach a game of such magnitude, Iñigo Pérez kept his answer simple and direct: “We have to prepare for it in a straightforward way. Mentally, we know they’re going to come after us. We know their physical, technical and tactical strengths. Beyond anything I can say here, I think the most important thing is to be ready to compete at the highest level against the best team in the world, managed by the best coach. It’s a match that generates huge excitement emotionally and, tactically, requires us to interpret certain situations correctly.”
Having won the Champions League in both 2025 and 2026, Pérez believes PSG possess an extraordinary range of qualities: “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 and qualities. We have to put any inferiority complex aside, trust ourselves and try to show the level we have. If you don’t, they won’t forgive you.”
To achieve a positive result, the Villarreal coach believes his team must be smart and make the right decisions throughout the game: “It will be a different match from the recent league games we’ve played here, where opponents have sat deep and waited for us close to their box. PSG won’t do that. That will give us opportunities to attack space. Having said that, we must accept the challenge of knowing when to go and when not to. 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.”
Gueye: “We want to beat one of the strongest teams in the world”
Alongside Iñigo Pérez, Senegal international Pape Gueye also addressed the media and spoke about the upcoming encounter against PSG.
“We’re highly motivated. It’s an important match against one of the best teams in the world. We want to give everything to win and improve on the image we showed in our last game,” admitted the midfielder.
Gueye was full of praise for the French champions: “They’re possibly the best team in the world. They have outstanding individual quality, but they’re also an incredible collective unit. We need to be very careful.”
Even so, the midfielder is confident in Villarreal’s chances: “We have to play our football. We want to give everything and win tomorrow.”
