On Wednesday, as part of Round 8 of the Champions League 2024-2025 league phase, Paris Saint-Germain (ranked 22nd) take on Stuttgart (ranked 24th) at the Mercedes-Benz Arena (kick-off 9pm CET, UTC+1). On the eve of this encounter, Paris defender Lucas Hernandez (28) answered a number of questions at a press conference.
Hernandez “I feel 100% ready to give everything for this team.”
Do you feel fit to start tomorrow ?
It’s never easy to come back after an injury like that. But I’ve got all the ingredients, I’ve done everything I can to come back.
If I’m training with the group, that means I’m fit. I feel 100% ready to give everything for this team.
Hernandez “both teams want to win.”
Can you tell us about the victory over City ? Was it a relief ? Did it give us extra strength ?
The way the team reacted, the attitude they showed, turning the situation around to get the first goals and then the victory after the draw. That ability to turn things around was a huge achievement. It gives us even more strength tomorrow to go out and win.
With both teams needing 1 point to secure their places, might it be tempting to aim for a draw to make everyone happy ?
I think both teams want to win. We came here to win the game and I think they will too. It’s going to be an open game, with a lot of intensity and both teams wanting to win.
Hernandez “That’s been the objective since the start of the season.”
The match against City can be a trap with such euphoria. Does your experience mean you need to get messages across to the group ?
It was a very important game for us, but we didn’t do anything. We’re not qualified. Tomorrow is at least as important. Our opponents will want to win, so we have to respond and do what’s necessary to get through to the next stage. That’s been our objective since the start of the season.
Any doubts after the injury ? Did the mental side of things help you come back quicker ?
The mental side, yes, but also the desire to play and get back to my team-mates. It’s not easy to miss 7 months and be on your own. I already knew about the injury, so I knew the stages and the pain. I didn’t skip any steps, but that helped. Right after the operation, I wanted to know when I could come back.
I signed for PSG for several reasons, including the Champions League. I’m ready tomorrow if the coach decides to give me some game time to help the team.
Hernandez “We know we didn’t do anything.”
Does your experience mean you talk to younger players in the group ?
Of course, at training or in the dressing room, like other players with experience. We know we didn’t do anything. It was a small feat a week ago, but that’s all it is. If we’re eliminated tomorrow, that’s all we’ll remember. So we need to focus and be ready tomorrow.
If there’s pressure, we have to relax and play our game. Everyone’s ready. Everyone wants to start and those who come back will be ready too.
Hernandez “We mustn’t miss out. We have to come to win.”
A less heavy atmosphere, the match against City showed you that you can go higher ? Do you need to confirm that tomorrow ?
Of course, everyone knows that tomorrow’s game is vital. We can’t afford to miss out. We have to come and win. It’s one of our objectives this season to move forward, and then we’ll see what happens with the draw. We’ll see what happens.
Hernandez “Right now, everyone’s 100% and then it’s up to the coach to decide.”
Luis Enrique leaves a lot of uncertainty about his line-up. How do you feel about that ?
Personally, I’ve never experienced it before. But with this method, I find it extraordinary. It allows all the players to be mentally ready to start the match.
Otherwise, it’s true that those who know they’re not going to play may give less in training. Here, everyone is at 100% and then it’s up to the coach to decide.
Is it your aim to be back with the French national team in March? Is it hard to have been absent ?
No, the first objective was to get back with PSG. Now it could become a new objective. I’m taking it more day by day, I want to keep improving and get back to 100% with the club. After that, I’ll see. Of course, it’s a goal to be on the list. But with the long injury, there are other objectives first. In particular, to feel 100%.
Hernandez “We’ll have to be ready from the start.”
What can we expect tomorrow ? Is there a strong atmosphere ?
I’ve already played here with Bayern, and it’s true that there’s always a good atmosphere here. It’s not going to be an easy game, there’s going to be a lot of intensity, especially at the start. We’ll have to be ready from the start.
Does the fact of not making the LDC the ultimate objective of the season take the pressure off?
It’s not the only objective, there will be the other competitions. But the Champions League is one of them. We’re aiming to reach the end of all the competitions. Then we’ll see how the season progresses. Everyone wants the Champions League, and we want it even more. We want it and we’re going to do everything we can to win it.
Hernandez “There will always be critics, but we know we’re on the right track”.
Does the match against City reward Paris for its inefficiency, to say there’s the right mentality ?
Of course, we’re aware that we’re exposed in every match. If we don’t score, there’s inefficiency. If we take a goal, we’re not strong enough. But we’re serene. We’re concentrating on ourselves. There will always be critics, but we know we’re on the right track and that we’ll get the results.
