Lucas Hernandez, the 30-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender, stopped in the mixed zone after the 3-0 victory against Metz this Saturday at the Parc des Princes, in the 23rd round of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season.
Hernandez said, “All the players are here, and that’s great for the future.”
“We needed to reclaim first place?
We were aware that Lens had lost (2-3 against Monaco) and that we could take back the top spot in the standings. That was the objective, and we achieved it.
Confidence before Monaco?
Of course, especially for some players who need to build confidence. This match was perfect for us. We showed that everyone is ready, present, and if the coach needs us, all the players are here, which is great for the future.
Hernandez: “It’s a process that takes time and effort.”
The decisive part of the season?
The most important moment of the season is coming. If we hadn’t done the work up until now, we wouldn’t be in this position…
It’s a process that takes time and effort. Now is the decisive moment; we have to be ready. Unfortunately, we’re eliminated from the Coupe de France, but we’re still alive in the other competitions, and we want to try to reach the end.
Hernandez: “We know nothing is decided yet.”
The return leg against Monaco?
“They’re a very good team. We saw that in the first leg (3-2 victory on Tuesday). We overcame the 2-0 deficit; it wasn’t easy. Wednesday’s match here will be different, but we know Monaco is capable of great things, they showed that in Lens. We’ll have to be ready. We know nothing is decided yet,” he said, as reported by Le Figaro.
PSG was able to watch the Lens match before their own, or at least follow the result. With the defeat against Monaco, the goal was clear: a victory to reclaim first place, lost last weekend. A strong motivation, even if a win would have also “forced” Paris to win. It’s still a certain satisfaction to regain first place. Now they have to manage to defend it. The team’s experience can help them navigate this title race.
All this while progressing in the Champions League, with qualification to be secured this Wednesday against Monaco following their 3-2 victory in the first leg. The Parisians are in a good position, but Hernandez is right to emphasize that qualification is not yet guaranteed. Monaco will fight hard; they showed great resilience in Lens to overturn a 2-0 deficit. They must be wary and focus solely on winning. There will be no holding back.
PSG can rely on its well-equipped squad to handle the demands of the upcoming matches. The backup players showed coach Luis Enrique against Metz that he can have confidence in them. The objectives are clear, but there is still work to be done. As Hernandez points out, it is the efforts of an entire season that are paying off. Even if the most exciting part is just beginning.
