On Sunday, during Matchday 30 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season, Paris Saint-Germain (1st) will face Olympique Lyonnais (5th) at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 8:45 pm, CET). On the eve of this match, PSG coach Luis Enrique answered several questions at a press conference. He touched on a number of topics, including Senny Mayulu, the team’s future, Bayern Munich, and the Champions League. He also provided an update on Fabian Ruiz.
Luis Enrique: “It depends on which side you’re on”
Are the other teams unhappy about the postponements?
Every decision has its pros and cons; it depends on whose side you’re on. I’m not going to say anything more, and I think that’s normal because every club and every coach looks out for their own interests. It’s great news because Strasbourg is in the semifinals, and I think that’s a positive thing for French soccer. I think it’s also positive to see PSG in the Champions League semifinals. But of course, if you ask others, their perspective will be different, and that’s normal. Everyone defends their own interests.
What will guide your decisions regarding tomorrow’s lineup?
This is a very important week for us in Ligue 1. We have the chance to play three matches with a lot of points at stake. After that, there will be the Champions League semifinal, so it’s important to pick up points. But we have to manage the whole team together with all the players because there will be a lot of matches in the coming days, and it’s important to know how to handle this schedule. But we’re used to doing that, and I’ll try to manage it in the best way possible.
Luis Enrique: “He’s an important player for us, for me”
Can you tell us about Endrick?
You’re right, I hardly ever talk about players from other teams. You’ll have to ask Pablo Fonseca that question.
Things have changed a bit for Mayulu. You’ve always been very positive. Are you still satisfied?
That’s normal; it depends on the schedule and injuries. He was injured, and I’m very happy with what he brings to the team. This is a very important day for me—he’s a Titi—and it’s important for us to see what he can offer the team. What I can say is that it’s great to have a player with his qualities, but also his mentality, which is very important. He’s ready, and he’ll have the opportunity to play in important matches because he’s done so in the past. He’s a player who’s important to us—and to me.
Luis Enrique: “He’s had his chance this year, and he’s making the most of it on the field, proving time and again that he’s capable of giving his all.”
How do you see Safonov’s development, and how do you view his progress?
As usual, he arrived last year and played a lot—much more than anyone could have imagined given the competition from Donnarumma—and this year it’s much the same: he started without being a starter, but opportunities change very quickly in soccer, and that’s very positive because he’s shown that even when he isn’t playing at the highest level, he trains as if he were. He’s had the opportunity this year and he’s taking advantage of it to play, and every time he shows his ability to give his all. We’re happy, but I’m very happy with the three goalkeepers I have, and whenever you play for a club at this level, you have to be ready, whether you’re a starter or on the bench. It’s important to show your attitude when you’re not playing—that’s even more important than showing what you bring to the team when you’re a starter.
Luis Enrique: “We know that in the future it will be difficult to make it to the semifinals again, let alone go further.”
Do you consider squad stability to be the key to your consistency in the Champions League? Do you think that’s the approach to take for next season?
First of all, it’s worth noting that reaching the Champions League semifinals three years in a row isn’t normal—it’s not something that happens to just about any club. It’s very difficult, but we’re proud of what we’ve done, and we can’t do any more than that. We aim to do the same thing in the future and continue to improve. Because it’s clear that when you have confidence and a very young team like ours, it’s a positive thing. We knew how difficult it would be to achieve this, and we know that in the future it will be difficult to reach the semifinals again, or go even further.
How did you go about ensuring your team was in peak physical condition at this point in the season?
We didn’t do anything different from what we set out to do. There’s no incredible method, nothing. What we tried to do during this particular season was to manage injured players, conditions, and the number of games they play as best as possible. But it was almost impossible to manage that because we had a lot of injured players—more than usual, more than normal. There are also moments that players and all teams love. It’s the final stretch of the season because it’s time to win trophies, and we feel comfortable when those moments arrive. You can see that right now almost all the players are ready for this final match, and that’s very encouraging for us because we always want to win every trophy, and that’s important.
Luis Enrique: “As long as we’re at this level, it’s incredible to me”
Are you stronger than last season?
I don’t know, and I can’t say anything else because whether we’re stronger or weaker isn’t really that important. I’d be happy to be just like last season—that’s not bad. I’m not worried if we’re just a little bit stronger or a little bit weaker. As long as we’re at this level, that’s incredible to me.
Is PSG the favorite against Bayern Munich?
It’s the same answer as last week against Chelsea or against Liverpool. And what do you think—are we the favorites against Bayern Munich? We were also the defending champions against Chelsea, and yet. What matters is what the players show on the field; it’s their level of play that interests us.
Luis Enrique: “If the opportunity arises, he’ll be able to play his first minutes back after his injury.”
How do you think Fabian Ruiz is doing now that he’s back in action?
He’s doing well; he’s trained with the team all week, and if he’s feeling good, he’ll likely be on the roster for tomorrow. If we have the chance, he’ll be able to play his first minutes since his injury.
