Exactly one year ago, during a press conference at Paris Saint-Germain’s training camp, when Kylian Mbappé’s departure was confirmed, Luis Enrique made a statement that surprised many journalists: “I am sure we will have a better team next season.” At the time, this statement seemed bold to the always-critical French media, but now it has become an undeniable truth.

In the first season without their galactic project and without their main star, Paris Saint-Germain is just two wins away from a historic and unprecedented treble in French football. Enrique has transformed the club’s history with a new approach. Under his leadership, PSG is no longer a collection of famous stars but a real team among Europe’s elite—a team where everyone runs, defends, and works together, with no one above the team.

One clear sign of this transformation was the substitution of Ousmane Dembélé in the Champions League semi-final. Despite being the team’s top scorer in 2025, Dembélé was replaced by Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani in a less-than-ideal condition—a decision that showed Enrique’s unwavering trust in his other players. Dembélé has directly contributed to 45 goals this season, Kolo Muani has shown significant improvement in scoring, Barcola has become Europe’s top assist provider, and new signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been the most involved in defense.

Records Are Being Broken One After Another

The former Spain national team coach has broken all records this season and is just one step away from etching his name in history. A team that once suffered heavy defeats in Europe has now become one that perfectly balances attacking and defensive philosophies. PSG is the team that has defeated all Premier League representatives in this season’s Champions League—neither Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, nor Arsenal could stand against this hungry and ambitious side.

Luis Enrique’s team, crowned Ligue 1 champions in early April, is the first to go 39 away matches unbeaten. When Enrique joined the club in July 2023, PSG had nothing to say in Europe. But now, having reached the Champions League final and becoming the first coach in the club’s history to take PSG to the semi-finals in consecutive seasons, the team has become a stable and promising project.

In line with this, PSG acted swiftly in August to prepare Enrique’s new contract, which was finalized in January and extended until 2027. Even in the toughest moments of the season, when the team’s Champions League progression was at risk, Luis Campos and Nasser Al-Khelaifi—whom Enrique has repeatedly thanked for their support—never doubted their coach. Ahead of the January clash against Manchester City, which turned the tide of the season, Al-Khelaifi said, “We have the best coach in the world.”

After years of short-term projects and repeated sackings due to European failures, calm has finally returned to the French capital. Luis Enrique is now just one incredible treble away from reaching the pinnacle of European football—a success that could place him alongside Pep Guardiola as the only coaches to win the treble twice.

At the start of the season, many believed PSG would be a controllable team without Mbappé. But football, with all its unpredictability, decided that in the year Mbappé left Paris after seven seasons, the team would reach the Champions League final for the second time in its history.

Luis Enrique was right, and only a few believed him.