Why is Luis Enrique in the stands watching PSG’s Champions League debut vs. Atalanta?

Paris Saint-Germain opened their 2025–26 UEFA Champions League campaign at the Parc des Princes against Atalanta, looking to defend the crown they lifted last season. But for Wednesday’s debut, cameras caught head coach Luis Enrique watching from the stands, sparking plenty of questions.

Despite missing stars like Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué, PSG were heavy favorites to begin their title defense on the right foot. While Atalanta coach Ivan Jurić directed his team from the touchline, Luis Enrique was seated higher up with a headset on, images that immediately raised curiosity among fans.

The reason had nothing to do with suspension. Instead, it was a personal choice. Luis Enrique decided to move into the stands to get a broader view of the match, communicating with his staff via headset and microphone throughout the action.

The Spaniard first tried this approach against RC Lens over the weekend, and explained the thinking behind it during his press conference: “I’ve noticed that rugby coaches analyze matches with a very different perspective. I like the possibility of looking for that improvement. I wanted to watch the first half from the stands, and it’s fantastic. It’s different. I can see everything.”

He later underlined the benefits of the strategy. “It’s an interesting option that I’ll use in the future. After that, you can give the halftime talk perfectly because you’ve clearly seen who played well out on the field. We have a lot of direct information,” Luis Enrique added.

Why is Luis Enrique wearing a sling?

After spending the first half in the stands, Luis Enrique returned to the sideline after the break to manage his team directly. But fans quickly noticed something else unusual: the PSG boss was wearing a sling on his left arm, sparking fresh concern.

The sling is the result of surgery following a fractured clavicle. The Spanish coach suffered the injury in a cycling accident earlier this month. Still, Luis Enrique made it clear the setback does not prevent him from carrying out his coaching duties for the reigning Champions League winners.