'You can never afford to be overconfident!' – Willian Pacho issues sharp PSG warning despite flawless run
Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho has warned his team-mates against complacency ahead of Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Villarreal. Despite PSG's flawless nine-game winning streak in all competitions, Pacho insisted the Spanish outfit deserve far more than their domestic results suggest.
Unstoppable PSG prepare for Villarreal trip
European champions Paris Saint-Germain travel to the Estadio de la Ceramica to face Villarreal on Tuesday night looking to maintain their perfect Champions League record. Luis Enrique's side have started their title defence in ruthless form, defeating Slovan Bratislava, Manchester City, and Barcelona.
PSG arrive in Spain on a nine-game winning run across all competitions, most recently dismantling Le Havre 5-1 in Ligue 1.
Right-back Achraf Hakimi scored a hat-trick and provided two assists during that victory in the absence of injured stars Ousmane Dembele and Kvaratskhelia.
Pacho warns against Champions League overconfidence
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, PSG centre-back Willian Pacho insisted the squad cannot take struggling Villarreal lightly despite their opponent sitting second from bottom in LaLiga. "Villarreal are a great team. They have probably deserved more than their results suggest so far, especially against Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool," Pacho explained.
"They like to have possession and know how to control a game. We always want to win and we want to rely on ourselves to do that."
"We are also aware that every game is different in the Champions League. This is the highest level. You can never afford to be overconfident for these games," the defender warned.
Defender hails Luis Enrique leadership and team unity
Pacho, who was recently nominated as a Ballon d'Or finalist, credited manager Luis Enrique and captain Marquinhos for maintaining elite standards in Paris. "He is a special coach. Before being a coach, he's a person that understands his players very well," Pacho said of Luis Enrique.
"He knows what the players need. He is very clear and precise in his language, very detailed."
On defensive partner Marquinhos and team depth, Pacho added: "Marquinhos is an incredible player... When a player is missing, another player steps in with that level. That helps the team maintain its standards."
Champions target double-digit winning streak
Villarreal will look to exploit PSG's tendency to concede, as all of the French side's European fixtures this term have seen goals at both ends.
However, Pacho emphasized that team silverware remains PSG's sole focus following back-to-back European crowns.
"We look more towards the team performance than individual recognition... That gives us the motivation to keep working hard," Pacho concluded ahead of kick-off.
