Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has offered a straightforward answer to a question that has puzzled defenders across Europe this season: how do you stop Lamine Yamal? His response — keep the ball away from him.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of PSG's UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, Enrique acknowledged just how formidable the 17-year-old winger has been this term.

"It's very simple. The best way to defend against Lamine Yamal is to have the ball. That's our ideal, but it won't be like that because we know how difficult it is to play against Barça," Enrique said.

The encounter comes days after PSG defeated Manchester City 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium, and Barcelona arrive at the Parc des Princes in equally impressive form. Yamal, in particular, heads into the match on fire — he scored a stunning goal in Barcelona's victory over Real Betis at the weekend and has eight goals and six assists from nine La Liga appearances this season. In the UEFA Champions League, he has added two goals and three assists.

More than just Yamal

Enrique was careful not to fixate solely on Yamal, stressing that Barcelona's threat runs throughout their squad.

"We must concentrate on what we can do. We know they have many high-quality players; Lamine isn't the only one. Raphinha, Pedri, Cubarsí, Joan Garcia… there are many. We will stay focused and alert. We must overcome this as a team," he added.

The PSG manager also expressed admiration for the club he once led, while making clear that his loyalties now lie firmly with his current side.

"We know Barcelona, I love watching their games, I adore their style of play. It will be difficult because of their quality players; small details can make the difference. There are very good individual players on both teams, but the victory has to be a collective one."

Motivation to make history

Enrique revealed that he and his squad are driven by the prospect of becoming the first team to defeat Hansi Flick's Barcelona in the 2026-27 season.

"It's a motivation for us. We're motivated to be the only team to beat Barça this season. I'm very connected to Barça, but I'm the coach of PSG. At first, I found it difficult to play against Barça, but I got used to it," he said.

He also praised the work Hansi Flick has done at the Catalan club, drawing comparisons to Flick's time at Bayern Munich.

"Hansi Flick has improved the results and instilled a style of play similar to the one he had at Bayern. We'll have to attack if we want to win. We're motivated to take the ball away from them. It's a big challenge for us."

While Barcelona have been flawless through the early weeks of the campaign, PSG have won both of their UEFA Champions League matches so far but have managed only four victories from seven Ligue 1 outings — a contrast that adds further intrigue to Tuesday night's encounter.