Luis Enrique wants his PSG side to raise their level in Champions League round of 16

[p]"[b]We had the toughest draw in the league phase, and we are used to playing games like these against anyone,[/b]" the Spaniard said after Wednesday's 2-2 draw in the all-French knockout phase play-off tie that allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a] to squeeze through 5-4 on aggregate.[/p][p]PSG led 3-2 from last week's first leg but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/akliouche-maghnes/0UP6MLGJ/"]Maghnes Akliouche[/a] gave [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/monaco/2PIvr8o4/"]Monaco[/a] the advantage on the night at the Parc des Princes to level the scores on aggregate.[/p][p]The sending-off of Monaco's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/coulibaly-mamadou/2yi87XSs/"]Mamadou Coulibaly[/a] early in the second half paved the way for PSG to equalize through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquinhos/UFfev8HP/"]Marquinhos[/a] and then go 2-1 up in the second leg through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvaratskhelia-khvicha/bNuGt0hE/"]Khvicha Kvaratskhelia[/a].[/p][p]But with a man fewer, the principality team still scored again through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/teze-jordan/Sbk0VFPJ/"]Jordan Teze[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/faes-wout/KjuF3pMi/"]Wout Faes[/a] missed a glorious chance to force extra time.[/p][p]"[b]Of course we can and want to improve, but there is also always an opponent and we knew how difficult it would be,[/b]" said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/luis-enrique/8MdrBIUb/"]Luis Enrique[/a].[/p][p]"[b]The next one will be easier, no? [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barca[/a] - not bad. But if any team is ready, it is us.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="d7b3fe7e-b80d-4be0-9d91-ed9bc1752761" url="https://x.com/TouchlineX/status/2026789167309672829?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]PSG lead Ligue 1 and remain in the running to retain the Champions League title they won for the first time last season.[/p][p]They have also won the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the French Champions Trophy in this campaign - all on penalties.[/p][p]There is a sense that the Qatar-owned club are a long way short of the form they showed in the second half of last season when they blew away their continental rivals on the way to thrashing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a] 5-0 in the Champions League final in Munich.[/p][p]"[b]We knew how difficult it would be and we were not surprised by Monaco,[/b]" Luis Enrique added.[/p][p]"[b]We showed our resilience and our ability to overcome problems, but this competition is difficult. It is important to improve and that is what we will try to do.[/b]"[/p][h2]'Win every competition'[/h2][p]He will also hope to get last year's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ballone-andrea/hEPF3PjU/"]Ballon d'Or[/a] winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] back fully fit - the 28-year-old scored 35 goals last season but has just 11 this season and has started only 14 games out of 38.[/p][p]PSG will find out on Friday their path to this season's final in Budapest, beyond the identity of their opponents in next month's last 16.[/p][p]They beat Barcelona 2-1 away during the league phase in October and have faced the Catalans in five knockout ties since 2013.[/p][p]Paris also played Chelsea in knockout ties in three straight seasons from 2014 to 2016 and lost to the Blues 3-0 in last year's Club World Cup final.[/p][p]Asked how his team can get back to the levels of last year, Luis Enrique said: "Just keep doing the same things.[/p][p]"[b]We are ready to play any opponents in any competition. We have had a lot of injuries, but that is not an excuse[/b].[/p][p]"[b]There are still more or less three months of the season to go and we have the same mentality. The objective is to win every competition[/b]."[/p][p]Meanwhile, Monaco are left to focus on trying to qualify for Europe again next season after being knocked out in the Champions League play-offs for the second year running.[/p][p]"[b]We could have done more in this campaign but it has still been satisfying,[/b]" said Monaco coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thill-sebastien/vDJHmnig/"]Sebastien Pocognoli[/a], whose side are eighth in Ligue 1.[/p][p]"[b]Let's hope this experience helps us progress more quickly in the future.[/b]"[/p]