Paris Saint-Germain beat AS Saint-Étienne 1-6 (video summary Saint-Etienne/PSG) this Saturday at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Matchday 27 of Ligue 1 2024-2025. After the match, Paris coach Luis Enrique spoke at a press conference.
Enrique “I think the second half was really good.”
Your team struggled in the first half before transforming in the second. Is the international break to blame?
“There’s a beautiful phrase that I’ve been using for several years in soccer: “excuses or results”. I don’t want excuses, I want results. And I think I have to congratulate Saint-Étienne, who played thirty minutes at high intensity. They were better than us with and without the ball.
With a lot of footballing quality. We suffered for thirty minutes, when we were far from our usual game. Then we connected for the last ten minutes, which enabled us to equalize. And then in the second half we saw the PSG of this season.
With a lot of intensity, a lot of rhythm, a lot of physicality, more precision with the ball. I think the second half was really good. But it just goes to show that it’s impossible to give the opposition thirty minutes.”
Enrique “Virtually, we have been for several weeks now.”
How will you manage the next few hours, since you’re dependent on the results of Nice and Monaco to validate this new French championship title?
“We’ve already been champions for several weeks. Obviously, we don’t want a draw between Nice and Monaco (Monaco eventually won 2-1) to be able to celebrate this title at the Parc des Princes, but we’ve been the best team since the start of the season, we’ll be champions and that’s what I’m delighted about. Virtually, we’ve already been champions for several weeks.”
Enrique “The easiest thing is to rest, lower the intensity, but we can’t afford that.”
Are you reassured by your players’ performance after the international break?
“It’s always difficult after a break as the players are a bit elsewhere, but this is PSG, we have to prepare for every match, every minute. There are no other options. We need players who are immediately connected. There are two months of competitions left, and we’re going to be playing for all our titles.
We need to be competitive in every one of them. But that’s difficult. The easiest thing is to rest, to lower the intensity, but we can’t afford that. And I think today is one of the best examples of how we can’t relax. Because if we do, we lose the game.”
Enrique “It’s a very intense atmosphere, with those colors, that tifo, I loved it.”
Can you comment on the atmosphere at Geoffroy Guichard in the current climate?
“After the Parc des Princes, this is where I’ve seen the best atmosphere. Mind you, I’m not Spanish and I don’t understand what they’re singing, but as a soccer atmosphere to play in, I’m delighted. They were losing 5-1 and still singing. It’s a very intense atmosphere, with those colors, that tifo, I loved it.”
Are the first thirty minutes a reminder, a warning for the Champions League?
“It’s weird to note the negative when there were 70 very positive minutes.”
