Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique assessed the opening matches of Zinédine Zidane’s tenure with the France national team, pointing to clear tactical intent and positive results despite the inherent challenges of international management, as reported by Foot Mercato.
Luis Enrique Evaluates the French National Team Under Zidane
The tactical approach of the French national team under Zinédine Zidane has sparked widespread debate across football broadcasts, particularly regarding whether the former Real Madrid manager has adopted the stylistic model established at Paris Saint-Germain. While the national team coach has acknowledged drawing inspiration from the Parisian setup, Luis Enrique offered his own assessment during a pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s fixture against Le Mans in Ligue 1.
“I don’t know, but what I saw when I saw the first matches of France is that the ideas are right to go for victory, to have the ball, to press, and to connect to be a real team,” Luis Enrique explained, as detailed by Foot Mercato and corroborated by Football.fr. The Spanish technician emphasized the unique constraints of international football, noting that national team managers lack the day-to-day contact time enjoyed at club level to integrate every squad member.
“That is the difficulty you have when you are a national coach. You don’t have time to connect all the players,” Luis Enrique added. “The level of the players has been very positive. The results speak for themselves.”
Support for Ousmane Dembélé and Praise for Désiré Doué
Beyond his analysis of the collective French setup, Luis Enrique used the media briefing to defend forward Ousmane Dembélé against recent criticism while praising the attitude of young midfielder Désiré Doué.
Describing Dembélé as a unique talent, Luis Enrique insisted that the winger remains a compelling draw for spectators. “Dembouz has been brilliant as usual when he plays with the national team,” the coach said. “He is a different player. You can quietly pay the ticket to see Ousmane Dembélé in a stadium. He is always there to show himself, he is always there to shoot, to have connections with his teammates. I think he has been very well.”
Turning to Désiré Doué, whom the manager labeled a “machine,” Luis Enrique reserved special praise for the player’s mentality. “He shows all the time this capacity to be ready at any moment to enter the match,” Luis Enrique stated. “This mentality is a difficult thing to have, and I am very happy to know that he is ready.”
Next Fixtures for Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain returns to domestic action with their upcoming Ligue 1 fixture against Le Mans, where Luis Enrique will look to maintain his squad’s momentum following the international break.
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