Paris Saint-Germain defeated Lyon 2-3 (video highlights Lyon/PSG) on Sunday at Groupama Stadium in the 23rd round of Ligue 1 2024-2025. After the match, journalist Daniel Riolo spoke to RMC Sport. He praised coach Luis Enrique’s PSG.
Riolo “they tell themselves ‘we’re going to get ripped apart.”
“I don’t see how you can take them, at least not a Ligue 1 team, it’s impossible. I don’t even know if there’s a good idea. There isn’t a single team with enough technical qualities to trouble a team that’s so well drilled, collectively.
We’re going back to 2014-15-16-17-18, when PSG’s opponents were already resigned before they started, because they’re scared, because they say to themselves ‘we’re going to get ripped apart, every opportunity, every attack can put a hole in us.
Riolo “that’s how big teams normally achieve big goals.”
There’s a superiority that’s too obvious. PSG are far too far ahead of the rest of Ligue 1, it’s obvious, they’re good at absolutely everything, it’s a technical and tactical feast, it’s perfect.
There’s not much imagination left in this team. It’s easy to guess when the game is about to start. You’ve got a normal rotation, it’s 14-15, and that’s how big teams normally achieve big goals.”
It’s a very strange moment, given that Riolo has repeatedly attacked Luis Enrique since his arrival at PSG. He was almost a charlatan, making choices to mock journalists or to prove his supposed superiority, which was based on nothing.
But with time to install his philosophy and work with his players, the Spanish coach has above all succeeded in building a fine collective. Despite the changes, PSG are still displaying a certain level of skill within a clear idea of play…and one that is made of unpredictability for their opponents.
Indeed, they seem to be returning to a mentality that had been lost for some years: fear. At least, the talk of flaws to be exploited and a real chance to impose themselves has disappeared, whereas it had become customary before Luis Enrique’s arrival. PSG know how to manage, accelerate and adapt.
We can only hope that they continue to do so. With the media always on hand to suddenly affirm that the project is a good one, without too much reminding us of all the negativity they’ve launched. Which will return as soon as the machine seems to run out of steam.
