On Saturday, during Matchday 31 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season, Paris Saint-Germain (1st) will face Angers (8th) at the Stade Raymond-Kopa (kick-off at 7 pm, CET). On the eve of this match, PSG coach Luis Enrique answered several questions at a press conference.
Luis Enrique: “I’m the PSG coach, I don’t care about the rest.”
Is it more difficult to manage playing time when you have to win?
No, it’s the same as last year. We had a bigger lead over second place, this year there’s Lens right next to us. But it’s the same obligation to try and win. That’s how it is for a team like ours. We’re used to playing with that ambition.
Several players will be playing in the World Cup. Is the playing time allocated, especially for the goalkeeper, being considered with the World Cup in mind?
I’m the PSG coach, I don’t care about the rest (smiles). I’m not interested. What I have to manage is the situation at PSG.
Any news about Vitinha? Any optimism for Tuesday?
You asked me three days ago, nothing has changed (smiles).
Luis Enrique: “Everyone knows where we are and which matches are the most important.”
Does the good result against Nantes encourage more squad rotation?
No, we’ve done the same thing. We have a path. It’s complicated, and we like that because we love having a lot of matches. The rest, a negative or positive result, doesn’t change anything. I can’t change the direction of the car for a defeat or a victory. It’s a bit more complicated.
We want to arrive at matches with the best team and control what we can control. Everyone knows where we are and which matches are the most important to win the league and reach the Champions League final.
Is this the right time to bring Chevalier back into the fold?
Football is unbelievable. You criticized Chevalier all the time in the first half of the season. I defended him. And now you’re always asking me when he’s going to play. It has nothing to do with the question, but that says it all.
Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia, “Different” Players
Managing Dembélé was a challenge; is he now at 100%?
It’s an easier question for Ousmane, but I think he’s very important to us. He’s a Ballon d’Or winner, a different kind of player, a leader both defensively and offensively. I think we managed this unusual season very well. We handled Ousmane’s issues very well. We’re seeing the best version of Ousmane Dembélé.
Kvaratskhelia, what can he still improve?
He’s a different kind of player. When we signed him, we already knew his quality. Not just his technical or physical attributes, but his personality. He’s a warrior; he brings very positive things to the team. He’s a real pleasure for a coach.
Luis Enrique: “We can create any combination we want, and it would be magnificent.”
The same tactical approach with Ruiz or Zaïre-Emery?
With all the players we have in midfield, we can create any combination we want, and it would be fantastic. They often play together, especially since Warren can also play at full-back. It’s a real pleasure to have Fabian back, but also all the other players who can play in our team. It’s important to have players back.
PSG has been conceding fewer goals lately, have you been working on that? What are the areas for improvement?
We’ve been doing the same thing as usual, but we’re always looking to improve our level. Scoring four or five goals doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve played better, just like keeping a clean sheet doesn’t always mean we’re improving.
But it’s an obsession for us. To play well, you have to defend well. You have to press to win the ball back, be courageous, and ambitious. Then, you have to play well with the ball.
Luis Enrique: “We want to be able to overcome any difficulty, regardless of who plays.”
The fans see you as a magician, do you think you have magic?
No magician (smiles). As a coach, it’s wonderful to have these fans. We’ve emphasized it a lot. I never tire of doing it. It’s so different from what you see in football. They’ve shown that they’re with us in difficult times, that’s when you see the level of the fans. We’re above the other teams.
It’s important to show our ambition, but we know that football can be unfair. We like where we are in the competitions and we want to go a little further.
Is fielding the same team twice in a row, like against Liverpool, a strength?
We want to be able to overcome any difficulty, regardless of who plays. You can always see the same game, no matter who’s playing, even if there are some differences. I’m glad it’s like this tonight.
