Luis Enrique believes Paris Saint-Germain is in its ‘best moment of the season’ and has claimed his side has gained confidence from beating Manchester City earlier this season.

The Parisians head into Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg on the back of a run of 22 games unbeaten, while PSG beat Brest 10-0 on aggregate in its play-off tie to progress to the knockout rounds. The team also sits 13 points at the top of Ligue 1 and confidence is high that PSG, a club who has historically underachieved in the Champions League, can go far in the tournament.

“That is football and it is amazing when you can feel that,” Enrique told TNT, when asked about the team’s recent form. “It is true that we are in the best moment of the season. We hope to continue that way.”

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But Liverpool is about as tough an opponent as PSG could face in Europe, with Enrique claiming the Reds are the continent’s best side at present. It’s high praise indeed but Enrique also believes his team can take inspiration from its last meeting with an English side, when it came from two goals down to beat City 4-2 in the league phase.

It was a sign to many that the underwhelming 'Galactico' era is behind the Qatar-backed club, with a more functional and team-oriented approach a more likely route to Champions League success.

“I think that [City] match changed something around us,” opined the PSG boss. “It was the way we won that match. But now it is a different match and a different ground against maybe the best team in Europe this season. I think it is a very nice match to watch and I hope we can manage that in the right way.”

After Wednesday’s first leg, the sides meet again at Anfield next week in the deciding game. It has been suggested, given the famously raucous atmosphere generated on European nights by Liverpool fans, that PSG will need to head to England with a positive result from the opening game. That’s not a thought Enrique prescribes to.

“The way we play, both teams, I don’t think that any bad result in the first match is going to condition the whole round,” said the former Barcelona manager. “I think we can lose the first match and win away and I think they can do the same. I think it is one of the best matches to watch in Europe right now.”