In Matchday 18 of Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain hosted LOSC at the Parc des Princes (3-0). After the match, Luis Enrique, the Parisian team’s coach, spoke to PSG TV about his players’ performance.
Enrique: “The result doesn’t clearly reflect the difference between Lille and Paris Saint-Germain.”
“It was a complicated match. They easily managed to escape our pressure. That’s unusual because our pressing style is generally effective. Today, the first half was disastrous without the ball, and with the ball, we lacked precision and quality, so it was very difficult.
We were able to change our pressing style a little in the second half, and that changed the game. We played a better second half, but the result doesn’t clearly reflect the difference between Lille and Paris Saint-Germain in this match.”
Enrique: “Ousmane made some incredible attacking plays, but he’s lacking defensively.”
“The second goal was a PlayStation goal; only a player of Ousmane’s quality could do that. Everyone will say Ousmane is the best player, but for me, no. We still need to see the best version of Ousmane defensively, because we need a player like him with a defensive mentality.
He showed it last year, and this year we need to keep it up. We need to improve that. I think today, Ousmane made some incredible attacking plays, but he’s lacking defensively. He’s the leader of this team in that respect.”
“My 100th win on the bench? Not bad, we need to keep going. I’d like a thousand; there’s still a long way to go.”
PSG’s performance this Friday was initially reassuring, coming just three days after their elimination from the Coupe de France against Paris FC. It was crucial for the players to get back to winning ways in the best possible way. Overall, however, the Parisian team struggled in this match, lacking intensity in their defensive transitions and pressing.
This is a problem that has persisted for several matches and one that absolutely must be addressed, especially with the return of the Champions League. For his part, Ousmane Dembélé once again showcased the full extent of his talent. A Ballon d’Or-worthy goal from the reigning Ballon d’Or winner confirms his status. Images that will go viral and serve as a reminder that PSG boasts the best striker currently available.
