Luis Enrique says Barcelona were always in control against PSG

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said he was happy his side's
three South American superstars had all scored in
Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League Group F win over
Paris Saint Germain, but the most important thing was the
game was won and Barca qualified for the last 16 as group
winners.
Ex-Barca striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic silenced his former fans
by opening the scoring early for PSG, but the home crowd
was soon cheering as Lionel Messi netted the first with a
poacher's effort, Neymar hammered in the second from 25
yards, and Luis Suarez gleefully tapped home a rebound for
his first Camp Nou goal late on.
The eighth consecutive win in all competitions ensured Barca
will be seeded for the last 16, as they have been for every
season now since 2006-07.
The blaugrana coach said in his post-match news conference
that Messi, Neymar and Suarez all scoring was a positive for
the side -- but he was really going happy as his side had
beaten a difficult opponent.
"That is good news for them, and for the team," Luis Enrique
said. "For me as a coach the motive to be happy is that the
team won. Although of course for forwards it is good to be on
the scoresheet."
Barca started with an unexpected XI -- an unusual 3-2-4-1
shape with Pedro Rodriguez and Neymar as the wide-men
and lots of players in central areas. The tactical tweak had
worked well, Luis Enrique claimed afterwards.
"We had control of the game from the start, even though they
scored first," he said. "We knew where we could do them
damage, where to find space, and where we could get our
decisive players into the game. We wanted to accumulate as
many players as possible in attack, to try and unbalance the
opponent. We gave up some chances, but against this type of
opponent, that will happen.
"We are stronger when we can use different shapes. To sum
up, a very good night for us. "
While Barca's central midfielders Sergio Busquets and
Javier Mascherano did not have much of a playmaking role in
this system, Luis Enrique said the tactical shape used was less
important than keeping the club's attacking and passing
philosophy.
"Apart from the model we use, the football philosophy is the
same, to look for passing lines, and to attack and defend as a
block," he said. "The team not chosen thinking of what the
opponent can do to us, but how we can do damage to them.
That is how we choose the model of play we will use. This
makes us more unpredictable for opponents."
Possible opponents for Barca in the last 16 include Premier
League pair Manchester City and Arsenal, Serie A
champions Juventus and Bundesliga sides Bayer Leverkusen
and Schalke 04.
"It would be a lack of respect to say you want a certain
rival," Luis Enrique said. "We have fulfilled our part in the
groups phase, qualified on top. Now whoever we get we
know we have the second game at home."
Suarez said winning the group will help Barcelona in the next
phase of the competition.
"We will be at home in the second leg of the round of 16 and
we know that as Barcelona you always have to try and finish
top," said Suarez. "We have improved as a group a lot. We
know that together we can go places, and that's what we're
doing."