Warren Zaïre-Emery, the 19-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, spoke in the mixed zone during PSG’s Media Day. It was an opportunity to discuss the team’s second place in Ligue 1, possible fatigue, and the demands of coach Luis Enrique.
Zaïre-Emery: “There’s no worry.”
Worried after losing first place?
“There’s no worry. There are still many games left. The atmosphere in training is good, we continue to improve and see what works less well between us.
We know the league is difficult, with many matches. Our opponents analyse us and adapt. We also need to adapt, watch video, and see what we need to improve. We can’t always be at our best, but we have to keep going in that direction.”
A tired squad?
“Luis Enrique gives us as much rest as possible so we can clear our heads. We’re all aligned with the objective of winning the Champions League for a second time and winning every trophy possible.”
Zaïre-Emery: “The coach is on everyone, no matter the age.”
Luis Enrique’s demands?
“He’s never satisfied. Vitinha is the best in the world, but he’s always on him. Even he doesn’t escape it. The experienced players are there for us too, but the coach is behind everyone, regardless of age.”
Facing Rennes?
“We prepare every match the same way. We’re in a good place, and it’s a strong Ligue 1 team.”
There’s no reason to panic, even if some media and supporters quickly turn negative. Everyone knew the start of the season would be complicated given the busy schedule and the lack of preparation. PSG isn’t doing badly — in both performances and results.
It’s less convincing than the second half of last season, which was exceptional. It was unrealistic to expect the team to remain at that level. PSG also needs to keep working to find new solutions, especially now that opponents are better prepared for their style of play.
The players aren’t letting go; they still hunger for victories and titles. Coach Luis Enrique is there to prevent any drop in intensity. Since the summer, he has only talked about improving and winning again.
And it shouldn’t be forgotten that PSG has improved in set pieces, for example. Now they need to ramp up physically and get injured players back.
