Paris Saint-Germain lost 1–2 to Monaco this Friday at the Parc des Princes in Matchday 3 of the 2026–2027 Ligue 1 season. Following the match, PSG head coach Luis Enrique spoke at a press conference.
Luis Enrique: “If you play for PSG, this is the kind of way you can lose.”
You told the broadcaster that PSG deserved the win; is there nothing that worries you?
It’s clear that PSG deserved the win. A decisive victory, in my opinion. That’s what I think, because I watched the match. It’s the kind of game we see every year—where you’re better than the opponent and create far more chances, but the opposing goalkeeper ends up being the best player on the pitch. If I look back at the last three years, it’s a bit like the matches against Newcastle, Atlético Madrid, Sporting Lisbon, or Liverpool.
It’s the typical match where you’ve done everything right—you deserve the win based on the quality of your chances. But football doesn’t care about the chances you created; it only cares about goals. We lost this time. But I’m happy with my team. It’s just the way we lost—bad luck—and you have to accept it. If you play for PSG, this is the kind of way you can lose.
Luis Enrique: “We deserved to win, clearly.”
You’ve conceded six goals in Ligue 1; is that worrying?
No, I’m not worried. I’m being completely honest. It’s a strange phase; the opponent takes a shot and it goes in. Monaco took two shots and scored twice—that’s unusual. There are periods of fluctuation throughout the season, and we’ll see who has the points at the end. I like Monaco and the way they play; they won their matches, so congratulations to them. But we deserved to win, clearly.
Luis Enrique: “It will be like this all season, with different players.”
Why wasn’t Digne in the squad? What does he need to do more of, or do better?
The pattern will be different this season. There are three players left off the squad list for every match. We have to get used to seeing people left off the squad list. There is no major issue. I am very happy. I know him very well. It will be like this all season, with different players.
Luis Enrique: “I hope to stay for a long time, but you have to earn your place at Paris.”
The club has announced your contract extension; do you have a moment to talk about it?
This isn’t the best time to discuss that. But what I can say is that—even though I’m an “old” coach—this is the first time in my career I’ve experienced a fourth year at a single club. It shows great trust. I’m even more motivated than I was in the first year; it’s strange for me. I hope to stay for a long time, but you have to earn your place at Paris. That’s what drives me to overcome the negatives. I hope I can live up to the challenge.
Dembélé on the bench—is it a fitness issue or a matter of merit?
Clearly, there are different circumstances involved. Ousmane made a huge effort to play in the finals. He needed to rest, but now we’re going to increase his playing time. He played at a very high level. We’re happy to have him back.
Luis Enrique: “What I want to convey is that you shouldn’t look only at the result.”
How can the defensive side be improved?
What I want to convey is that you shouldn’t look only at the result. You have to look at the chances created—what were Monaco’s expected goals? You can’t stop the opposition from doing anything; that’s not how football works. We pressed sensationally today—better than in some matches where we didn’t concede a single goal. What I saw defensively was top-class, against a very good team. The result shouldn’t negate what was done well. I’m frustrated, just like the fans. They cheered us on throughout the match.
We deserved to win, but we lost. It wasn’t even a draw. That’s what makes football so exciting. Monaco is very happy, of course. They were more clinical. But they also know that if we play a game like that ten times, we win eight, draw one, and lose one.
Luis Enrique: “It’s an incredible source of motivation for me, my players, and the club.”
The Champions League is coming up; you’ll be facing Galatasaray in January. You knocked them out as a player back in 2002. This will be your first time facing them as a coach. What is your take on it?
I haven’t analyzed Galatasaray yet. We know the players, their quality, and the stadium. Back in 2002, TV footage was still in black and white, wasn’t it? (laughs). I have fond memories of that time; I scored my 100th goal for Barça at Galatasaray’s stadium.
Does the 7-point gap worry you, or does it serve as motivation?
It’s an incredible source of motivation for me, my players, and the club. If you want to place a bet on who will be the champion, we can make a wager. But I’m not saying anything. That 7-point gap is a source of motivation, and we want to close it as quickly as possible.
