On Saturday, as part of Matchday 8 of Ligue 1 2024-2025, Paris Saint-Germain (2nd) will take on Strasbourg (7th) at the Parc des Princes (kick-off 9pm, broadcast on DAZN). On the eve of the match, Paris coach Luis Enrique answered a number of questions at a press conference.
Why did you extend your contract with PSG?
As long as there’s no official communication, I have nothing to say on the subject.
How do you warn players about managing their private lives?
What are you talking about?
I’m talking about managing day-to-day life and going out, whether privately or for the club.
I’m a soccer coach. I manage a team of players. Their private lives belong to them and their families.
Kolo Muani has been performing well with France, is that a reason to play more with you?
Of course, it’s always good news when international players get good results, good matches and goals. If they play well for the national team, it’s better for the club.
Zaïre-Emery is having a tougher time of it, so how can you help him get back to his best?
I think he’s been great at the start of the season. In the last match, he was perhaps a little below his best. But at the start of the season, he was as good as he could be. And in the last match, it was something general.
When will Kimpembe be able to play again?
Nobody knows exactly. It’s very difficult to predict. But I’m extremely happy that he can help us. He’s already doing that with his experience, his personality and his qualities. I’m very pleased that we’re at the end of this process.
Could a difficult schedule in the coming weeks be a turning point in the season?
I think it’s a perfect time for us. It means we’re playing the competitions we want to play. We have to get used to it, because we want it to be like this over the years.
What’s your attitude to Strasbourg, a team on form?
A quiet game against Strasbourg is impossible. I’ve already warned my players. They’re a very young team with a lot of quality players. You can see the coach’s mentality, with his desire to play high, press and score goals. It’s going to be a very tough, hard-fought match. There will be opportunities for both teams.
Can you explain Nuno Mendes’ role in your team? How would you like to see him progress?
It’s very easy to define. He’s a full-back with exceptional technical and physical skills. He understands the game very well. He can still improve, because he’s very young, even though he’s been playing at the top level for several years. We try to put him in a role where he can contribute as much as possible. When he attacks, he can make the difference. I hope to help him develop. He’s a very high-level player.
Ligue 1’s new trophy? Does Ligue 1 need a new image?
I haven’t seen it…Can you show it to me? (…) Ah very pretty! It’s the World Cup. The most important thing is to win it. You have to earn it.
Can you explain how you manage young players?
A player’s growth is not linear. There are ups and downs. It’s important when you’re at the top not to think you’re unique, and when you’re at the bottom not to think you’re bad. You have to know that you can evolve. The players’ responses at the start of the season have been very positive, more so than I’d hoped. They show that we’re on the same path.
But it’s not linear, it’s logical. There are ups and downs in a season. But I understand, if I were a PSG fan I’d like to see all the youngsters playing. But there’s not enough room. I have the experience to manage that for the team.
Mental health used to be taboo in soccer. How do you deal with the pressure?
Fortunately, it’s no longer a taboo subject. Mental work and all that it represents. You have to have certain abilities and the desire to cope. Generations are different. You have to adapt, clearly, to the players. But there’s nothing easy about that. The players also need to have the desire to improve in this area.
Any players rested tomorrow after the break? Could Ruiz and Doué play at right-back?
We need to take a broad view tomorrow. You have to take into account playing time, travel time… That has repercussions. We want and need to win tomorrow. It won’t be easy, it never is after the break, and it certainly won’t be tomorrow.
The latest results aren’t ideal, is that affecting the group’s confidence?
As I said before, a season isn’t linear. There are good times and bad times. We haven’t had a bad moment. We’d like to win every game, but it’s impossible.
We’ve got 6 very important games in 3 weeks. We’re highly motivated to get off to a good start tomorrow.
