Umtiti recalls Barcelona 6-1 Paris: Enrique said before the game that he could give them 6 goals
6686 Sports November 16th In an interview with RMC radio program, Umtiti recalled the behind-the-scenes details of Barcelona's 6-1 reversal of Paris Saint-Germain's crazy victory in the second leg of the 2017 Champions League 1/8 finals.
Barcelona, which suffered a disastrous defeat at the Parc des Princes in the first round, staged an incredible comeback after returning to Camp Nou, overturning the overall situation with a 6-1 score. That night, Umtiti also contributed a masterclass defensive performance in the warm atmosphere of Camp Nou. “Before the second leg, Luis Enrique told us to change to a back three,” Umtiti recalled. “We only had two practice days to hone this strategy, and he said: ‘It will be one-on-one at the back, I don’t care.’ We practiced specific battles. His instructions were very clear during the strategic part."
"He completely changed my understanding of football. His control of details was the best I have ever seen in his strategic training sessions. He also said to us: ‘They gave us four in the first round, don’t worry, we can give them six.’ His victory convinced us all and it was such a morale booster. The whole Barcelona believed that a miracle could happen, and everyone was extremely calm on the day of the game. Iniesta was calm throughout the game and said calmly in the lounge: 'Brothers, we know what to do. ' I thought to myself: 'We lost four in the first round, how can you be so calm? ' This is the mentality of top players.
“If Paris pressed hard from the start, the game would be completely different. I remember Cavani wanted to press from the kick-off, but his teammates all said to him: ‘Hey, come back!’ I originally thought they would press hard, but it didn’t happen at all. In the end, this negative attitude made us enter the competitive state faster. If they had pressed a little bit, they would have pressed first. One city, the game may be over... Even when Cavani scored in the 62nd minute, I didn't feel that my expectations were shattered. Luis Enrique said in the pre-match talk: 'Even if they score, we can respond with one or two... don't worry. ' His words left a deep impression on me, as if everything was as he expected." Umtiti reviewed the game.
"If there had been a video referee, things might have been different, I don't know for sure. Of course, luck was indeed on our side, but we worked hard to win this game. It was one of the few games in Barcelona where I felt the 'shock' of the stadium. It was incredible. After the game, the whole audience went crazy. I still remember Neymar said before the game: 'I will score twice today, wait and see, I will definitely score two.' That game felt like a dream!"
