As reported in Le Parisien, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique insisted in his pre-match press conference that his squad was only focused on Wednesday’s Coupe de France round of 16 encounter with Stade Brestois 29, and not looking ahead to further challenges:
” Theoretically, the advantage of facing Brest twice in a row within a short time frame is that we will be prepared for the difficulties we are going to face. We know it’s difficult to dispossess them, to press them, it’s a team that defends really well and one of the best teams in the league and it’s going to be a difficult cup tie. We have to be at our best with and without the ball to turn the match to our advantage”
The Parisians faced Brest in Ligue 1 on January 29th, suffering a spirited comeback from Les Pirates after having led 2-0 to finally have to settle for a 2-2 draw.
FT | PSG 2-2 Brest:
The Bretons grab a well-deserved point, showing far more ambition and intensity than the hosts. PSG showed little going forward, barring a purple patch at the end of the first half.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) January 28, 2024
When asked about what makes a cup game different to other competitions, Enrique replied with the following:
“Of course, these are different competitions. The league means regularity, routine. In the cup, every match is a final. If you have a bad half, a bad match, you’re eliminated. In the Champions League, you have two legs so there is more possibility to get the right result, but it’s still a short and tough competition. I have zero doubts that we have the qualities to perform.”
On the theory that Ligue 1 isn’t competitive enough to prepare PSG for the Champions League, but that this year they are being challenged domestically:
“I’m being thinking about the team in the six months I’ve been here, about the direction in which we’re going, what we want to see, what we’re looking for. There are things to improve of course but only time will tell where we’re going. In Ligue 1, we’re eight points clear of very good rivals: Nice, Brest, Lens, Monaco.. the league is more difficult than I thought. I am happy with what we’re doing as a team, but I want us to get better as the season continues, like any other team in the world. It’s a question of whether we want to see the glass half full or half empty, and I see it more than full”.
When asked whether the cup tie with Brest is important to establish momentum before the matches against LOSC Lille (Ligue 1) and Real Sociedad (Champions League):
“There are so many matches that come one after the other, we have a good dynamic based on results, our level, the chances we create.. the team continues to perform. We wanted to become better, to perform better. Everything is on the line, we either continue or we’re out. We want to win as many trophies as possible and because of that, every match is a final.”
When questioned on the fact that more and more players employ individual staff such as physios:
“That has been happening for many years now. Physios, osteopaths, nutritionists.. If it’s carefully planned and organised, I feel this is professional behaviour. I believe the vast majority of them have personal chefs at home that cook. They all have their advantages, it’s certainly more professional than back in my day!”
When questioned about PSG playing on the counter:
“What is clear is that we are the team with the most ball possession in the league, second in the Champions League. Everyone can see things how they see fit. We are much stronger when we have the ball, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t exposed in transition. We’re one of the teams that creates the most chances and concedes the least, he who doesn’t like statistics should simply not look at them.”
Regarding PSG’s centre backs playing out from the back ( In the 2-1 win against Strasbourg, Marquinhos and Beraldo made 200 successful passes between them):
“I think our game plan is always evolving. The players that touch the ball the most during the game are often the central defenders. I have no doubt over our team’s way of playing, but that doesn’t mean that the opponent can’t be better than us. I want the team to play the way I like.
When questioned on the fact that PSG often run less than their opponents:
“My teams play possession football to make the opponent run, it’s logical. You run more when you’re running after the ball than when you circulate it. None of my teams can be accused of not running enough to win matches”
On players potentially playing “With the handbreak on” to avoid injury before the Champions League:
” If I see a player not giving 100%, he won’t play. I can’t think about the future, the future doesn’t exist. Our future is only Brest. If a player isn’t giving 100%, he’s not in the team. It didn’t happen against Revel, it didn’t happen against Orléans, and it won’t happen against Brest. It’s an important objective for us, there is no other match than Brest for us.”
GFFN | Jack McArdle
