Warren Zaïre-Emery, the 19-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, stopped in the mixed zone after the 5-0 victory against Rennes this Saturday at the Parc des Princes, in the 15th round of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season. He took the opportunity to discuss the win, the goalkeeper, his current form, and the race for first place.
Zaïre-Emery: “It doesn’t matter who the goalkeeper is, we all have confidence.”
“We always try to play the same way, whether it’s the Champions League, Ligue 1, or the Coupe de France. We prepare well. We won 5-0 and that feels great. We’ll make sure we’re ready for Wednesday (in Bilbao).”
Matfey Safonov?
No matter who plays in goal, our goalkeepers are all very good, and we’re proud to have these three, even the young players coming up. Regardless of the goalkeeper, we all have confidence in them, and they do the job.
Zaïre-Emery: “The goal is for that to happen as little as possible.”
Your return to form after a dip in form?
I feel good, confident. I still have a lot of room for improvement. I’m going to keep working; it’s difficult to play at the same level all the time. In a young player’s career, dips in form can happen often. The goal is for that to happen as little as possible.
Zaïre-Emery: “We have to take it the right way.”
Lens at the top of the table?
We have to take it the right way. A team that puts pressure on us forces us to play every match the same way, to be focused all the time. We’re behind them. “We’re going to get them, no matter what,” a statement relayed by Le Figaro.
PSG didn’t change their style of play to secure this impressive victory. Everything was executed better compared to last week’s defeat in Monaco (1-0). But the philosophy remains the same, regardless of the players on the pitch or the opponent. This is a strength, but not a guarantee of victory.
You have to make your movements, both offensively and defensively, with intensity. Precision in your actions is also important to maintain control and create chances. During a dip in form, observers and fans like to question everything. PSG reminded everyone yesterday that they possess considerable qualities, which are easier to express when they are fresher physically. We therefore hope to see this momentum continue.
This is important in order to challenge for the title against the competition, especially Lens, a very interesting and confident team. We don’t know how long this good run can last. Paris can’t afford to waste any time, and it’s interesting to see Zaïre-Emery using this situation as a source of motivation. It’s a reminder that competition is a good thing, even if everyone always prefers to be at the top.
As for the Parisian youth player, he’s a classic example of a player many were quick to write off due to a difficult period. But, with renewed confidence and excellent physical condition, he’s showcasing his full talent once again. He’s proving invaluable to PSG and confirming that he has all the ingredients for a very successful career. Safonov has also shown his potential, which will give the media plenty to talk about in the coming days. But the Russian will need to maintain this form, and Lucas Chevalier (24 years old) won’t be easily relegated to the bench.
