This Friday, PSG hosts Monaco at the Parc des Princes for the 13th day of Ligue 1. The capital team will be without its captain Marquinhos and Warren Zaire-Emery, both injured in the selection, one with Brazil, the other with the France team. At a press conference this Thursday evening in Poissy at the club’s Campus, Luis Enrique believes he has the best squad in L1.
Are the loss to injury of Marquinhos and Warren Zaire-Emery two hard blows? Do you have the capacity in the workforce to replace them at an equivalent level?
LUIS ENRIQUE. I have the best squad in the championship. When you have an injury, it’s a sad moment. But the squad is large, with an excellent level.
What face of Monaco do you expect?
Monaco is a team that I really like, they don’t calculate, they don’t think about the result, with high pressure. They always have a good level. It’s the team that generates the most chances behind us. They should have more points.
Does approaching it as a leader change anything?
It’s always better to be first than second. I don’t know if that gives more peace of mind. The goal is to win the championship. This is a very ambitious goal.
Is this already a turning point of the season against a direct competitor?
It’s important for what it means, it’s a direct rival. But there are a lot of matches left after that. But this is not particularly decisive. You have to get chances and win. It will be a difficult match but I haven’t seen easy matches in Ligue 1 until now.
Are you dreading the busy schedule ahead?
We have Champions League matches which will determine whether we pass or not. But Ligue 1 matches are also very important. We want good results.
Do you think there are too many international truces, too many cuts?
I don’t want to get into this controversy. There is a calendar, it is what it is. I try to control what I can control, giving measured workloads to the players. The team has sufficient resources. Whether I like it or not, it’s the schedule and I adapt to the situation. I hope that all the players will be able to recover from their injuries, not just those of PSG but of all the clubs.
The last two days of the championship were not very prolific. Do you consider Ligue 1 boring and weak?
Boring Ligue 1? No. I see teams that create a lot of chances and can win each match. It’s very open. It’s a much better League than I thought. When we don’t know things, we stupidly repeat what we hear. It’s a good League, powerful, with good players who are then exported to other championships, in England in particular. Nothing is easy and there are many possibilities for the outcome of a match.
How do you react to the exercise of Gonçalo Ramos’ purchase option?
This is very good news which makes me happy for everything that Gonçalo Ramos means as a player. But even more for the man Gonçalo Ramos. He is a player of the future, an impressive attacker, he has a very wide playing range. He can cope with various playing situations.
What is the news regarding Presnel Kimpembe?
I’m not a doctor and I can’t tell you something wrong. For about two weeks, he has been training collectively. I already knew him and at his best level having faced him. I really want him to come back, he is a leader of the group, one of the potential captains. I’m happy to see him come back after several months. You have to follow the process.
What is your main satisfaction since your arrival at PSG?
The main ? I’ve had a lot of them. When you arrive at a club that you don’t know, you always set yourself goals. I feel like home. What I receive and perceive from the players gives me energy. I am not a conformist coach. You have to play well and win, improve, be competitive. I have this ambition and I try to pass it on to the players. I still see room for improvement. I always want more.
Can Marco Asensio and Danilo Pereira claim to start PSG – Monaco?
As soon as you come back to the group, you can start. And then it’s my decision.
