On Sunday, during Matchday 4 of the 2025–26 Ligue 1 season, Paris Saint-Germain (1st) will host Lens (5th) at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 5:15 p.m., CET). On the eve of the game, PSG coach Luis Enrique answered several questions at his press conference.
Enrique: “This is the mentality of a real team”
How are you feeling? Are you ready to be on the bench?
“I did the training sessions as usual. Of course, tomorrow I’ll be ready for the match against Lens.”
With Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué absent, could Gonçalo Ramos get more playing time?
“Gonçalo has the mentality to adapt to this kind of situation. The whole team is ready to step up. This is the mentality of a real team. That’s how we’re approaching the next matches.”
There have been discussions between PSG and the FFF. What’s your take?
“Whether I say something negative or positive won’t improve my players’ health. For me as a coach — for my staff, the medical staff — the most important thing is the players’ health. We’re staying focused on that.”
Enrique: “Presko is a very important player for me”
Presnel Kimpembe is leaving PSG, he’s very important to the fans. What image do you keep of him?
“I love Presko Kimpembe, but that’s life. He’s been injured over the last two years, which was really unfortunate. It’s been hard for me because I couldn’t give him the time he needed. Presko is a very important player for me, for the fans, for the club. Tomorrow will be a very important moment after the match for him.”
Without Dembélé and Doué, you have Kvara and Barcola — which one will be more comfortable on the right wing?
“I would also add Ibrahim Mbaye, a pure winger. But the twenty players know how to play both on the left and on the right, they’re all top-level players.”
Enrique: “We must control the things we can control”
We’re entering a busy period with matches piling up. Will the scheduling change for the Lens game affect your preparation or team selection?
“Right now we have to manage these things. Every player has a different situation in terms of minutes played, etc. We must handle that because in three days we’ll have an important Champions League game. It’s the staff’s and the coach’s job to manage it. We must control the things we can control.”
Enrique: “I hope tomorrow we’ll be ready to go for the win against Lens”
What do you expect from the match against Lens?
“Normally matches after an international break are always difficult. Some players have been able to rest while others have had to play. We know this challenge. So I hope tomorrow we’ll be ready to go for the win against Lens. We know how hard it will be and we’ll have to be up to the task.”
FIFA should merge the two international breaks starting next season. Do you think this will improve things?
“I don’t know if it will be better or worse. We must think about the quality of play and for that we need the players’ health. We have to control the number of matches played, but it’s difficult because there are economic interests. But any option that can improve that will be positive.”
Enrique: “There’s always a lot of noise around top-level teams”
What do you have planned for Renato Marin this season?
“I’m very happy to have him in the squad. He’s one of the youngest goalkeepers but he has a lot of quality with a profile we like. He has physical and technical quality; I like the way he trains. For us, since he doesn’t yet have the opportunity to play with the first team, he’ll play with the U23s.”
Do you understand when Didier Deschamps says zero risk doesn’t exist?
“We’re staying focused on the match. Around top-level teams there’s always a lot of noise, but we stay focused on the players’ health.”
