Competition in attack to face City this Wednesday (9 p.m.), in the Champions League: “Having all the players available is the most positive thing for a coach. This match comes at a good time to see what type of match we can have tomorrow (Wednesday). It’s a challenge and a motivation to play here.”
The high “expected goals” (xG) of Paris-SG in the last matches: “We started the season brilliantly in terms of play and xG, but we did not obtain the results we deserved. In the championship, we are in a… different position, we are not used to that, but I am not concerned (PSG is 6th, 3 points behind the Monegasque leader, the ranking here). We are going to play our second Champions League match, it will be away, against one of the best teams in Europe, one of our two opponents for the first hat with Barça (October 20). It’s motivating to, once again, show our level, to show that we can overcome difficulty and that we always want to play the same way, whether at home or away. This is our way of thinking to continue the season.
Also read Forced rest, Donnarumma “number 1”, confidence… Ousmane Dembélé opens up before the Manchester City-PSG clash
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First big test of the season: “No, this result has nothing to do with what will happen during the season. After January, we will see the level of the teams. There is such a difference between the level of the teams at this point in the season and six months later... But it's an interesting match, fun to watch and motivating for us to come back to Manchester and try to play at our level again.
The Manchester City affair: “There is a lot of noise around the big clubs. Manchester City are in a moment like that. We will have to wait for the final decision of those who must decide. We'll wait. I hope everything ends well for Manchester City because what they did on the pitch was incredible and they deserved all their trophies. We have to wait for the verdict. Sacred union among the Skyblues? They are in a very good moment, they have won all their matches, which is especially difficult in the Premier League, they are first in the standings. It shows their level. They have a lot of quality players, the majority of them are international, they have a very good manager, with clear ideas… It’s a challenge for us, it’s very motivating. (…) It’s a surprise. But we must respect the process and wait for the verdict. But if I only talk about football and what I saw on the pitch, Manchester City deserved these trophies, I like the way they play football.
It’s my fourth year in Paris, do you think I’m going to change things and come here to defend?
Luis Enrique
The Parisian full-backs impress Erling Haaland: “Whether they will be more defensive against City? They will be offensive and defensive. Great teams must defend well and attack well. We are one of the teams that tries to attack all the time, like Manchester City. I loved seeing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and I love seeing Enzo Maresca’s, they’re fun teams. Whenever I can, as a supporter, I watch the football of Enzo Maresca's teams because it's fun, entertaining, they attack a lot but they also defend. (…) It’s my fourth year in Paris, do you think I’m going to change things and come here to defend? Their full-backs attack a lot too... Everyone knows our way of playing. We will try to attack all the time with the full-backs, the midfielders, the attackers… Afterwards, there are important details when we play against a team like Manchester City. But the mentality and the desire to win are always the same.”
Also read Forced rest, Donnarumma “number 1”, confidence… Ousmane Dembélé opens up before the Manchester City-PSG clash
Gigio Donnarumma number 1 for Ousmane Dembélé: “No, the number 1 goalkeeper at the moment is the three from Paris Saint-Germain (smile). But I really like Gigio Donnarumma. I was lucky to know him. For me, it was very difficult at that moment to decide what we decided. But that's life. I'm happy because I see him at the same level as he was in Paris. She is a wonderful person. I love seeing Gigio Donnarumma enjoying his work at Manchester City.”
I hope we win it, but I'm tired of the Ballon d'Or...
Luis Enrique
The Golden Ball: “I hope we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it. Last season, we were one of the best teams and we showed that it’s not just Ousmane Dembélé who deserves it, but Kvara, Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha, João Neves, Willian Pacho, Marquinhos… The decision will soon be revealed… but I’m tired of the Ballon d’Or.”
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Update on summer recruits: “As usual, these are different situations. For example, there is Ferran Torres, who scored a lot of goals. It’s positive today, but if he goes three games without scoring, it will be a mess (smile). And conversely, we can have players like Mika Godts who will score a hat-trick, and it will be incredible, Godts the new Platini... That's how football is. You have to be calm. The first thing I tell new players and the guys who come to train is that they will be criticized all the time here, all the time! That’s how the life of a top player is, you have to get used to it.”
What he will say to Pep Guardiola on Wednesday: “Nothing, at least nothing serious (smile). Trophies that are won on the field stay on the field, they deserve to win them. I hope they avoid sanctions. But you have to wait. With Pep, it will be private conversations.
Comments collected at a press conference
