On Sunday, as part of Matchday 15 of Ligue 1 2024-2025, Paris Saint-Germain (1st) will take on Olympique Lyonnais (5th) at the Parc des Princes (kick-off 8:45pm, broadcast on DAZN). On the eve of the match, Paris coach Luis Enrique answered a number of questions at a press conference.
Enrique: “It’s a difficult team to play against”.
What do you think of this Olympique Lyonnais team?
“We know Lyon quite well because we had the opportunity to play against them last season, as well as during the Coupe de France final. Right now, they’re a very positive opponent. They’re well-ranked in both Europe and Ligue 1. So they’re a tough team to play against, and those complications generate a lot of motivation and desire to rise to the occasion.”
Do you feel that Hakimi is reaching a point of fulfillment in his game?
“No, my aim is to get all the players out of their comfort zone, regardless of their playing time. We want all the players to give more. Hakimi is good, he can play even better. That’s my aim, to get the best out of all the players. And sometimes to achieve that you have to make unpopular decisions.”
Enrique “I decide to make the decisions that I feel are best for my team.”
What are the reasons for Ousmane Dembélé’s reduced playing time?
“I have the same relationship with all the players. I’m not their father, their brother or their ‘bro’, I’m the coach. I decide to make the decisions that I feel are best for my team.”
What led you to change Nuno Mendes’ role in recent weeks?
“Because the objective we have, myself and the staff, is to improve the squad. The players must have the ability to help the team when it’s most opportune. Today, he’s playing at a higher level and is a key player. But a team is an orchestra, you can’t have six players doing the same thing all the time. You have to know how to coordinate to come up with the best melody.”
Rayan Cherki is the OL’s in-form player. Do you see him as the number one threat? And do you still want to recruit him?
“The danger for OL is if they can get the ball. They’re a team with a very high level, because they have very high player profiles.”
Enrique “depending on what we see we adapt.”
How is the recovery process articulated at PSG?
“In everything to do with the medical theme I’m not the right person for that. But depending on the person and the period, it’s not the same thing. Mayulu, who was injured for three weeks, and others like Lucas Hernandez won’t go through the same process. And depending on what we see we adapt.”
You’re 25th in the Champions League standings. How do you feel about the lack of success of big clubs like PSG and Real Madrid in the early stages of the competition?
“That’s our ranking, that’s the reality. Now we’re thinking about how to turn things around.”
Enrique “I’ve seen things about Botafogo, but not from a professional point of view”.
As you predicted you’ll be playing Botafogo, out of curiosity how do you approach this much talked-about match in Brazil?
“With the very intense schedule we have where we play a match every three days, the Club World Cup is a long way off. It’s so far away. Of course it excites me, but it’s far too far. I’ve seen things about Botafogo but not from a professional point of view, so I’ll have time to prepare for this match.”
You’ve changed the way you play set-pieces, is it a desire to be more unpredictable?
“You’ve got good thinking, if we always do the same things the opponent adapts. If we do the corners in pairs, they’ll adapt, so you have to change. You have to adapt continuously. It has to be predictable for the players and unpredictable for the opposition. Since the start of the season, a lot of journalists have been saying that we don’t have the best squad in France. But it has to be said that in Ligue 1 and in the Champions League, this is statistically my best season.
Little by little, things are falling into place. Personally, I’m very happy with the season and the growth process. We’ve overcome the problems perfectly, and I think we’re in a very positive situation. I can see that the level of training is going up, the level of the players is going up, and that’s the best way to conquer and achieve goals. This is the best season of my career.”
Enrique “I’ve only seen one case like him”
With Lucas Hernandez can there be a new system?
“It’s possible yes, the case of Lucas Hernandez is very atypical. I’ve only seen a case like him where after seven months’ absence he manages to reach a physical level superior to that of certain players within a week. Obviously, we can’t give him 90 minutes, we have to bring him back little by little. Could he play? Of course he could. Good players can always play together.
