On the occasion of the 18th day of the League, PSG hosts Lille this Friday evening at 9 p.m. at the Parc des Princes. An opponent he was unable to beat in the first leg (1-1), victim of the equalizer from an ex, Ethan Mbappé. At home, before a trip to Lisbon in the Champions League and after an elimination in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France against the PFC, Paris intends to resume its march forward. Luis Enrique, his coach, was at a press conference this Thursday from the Poissy Campus.
Is this a pivotal moment against Lille to silence doubts?
LUIS HENRY. Really ? I think not. If there are any doubts about our team, let it go! I can accept doubts but I don’t understand them. What’s the problem? Do you think we’re going to win all the trophies every season? Football doesn’t work like that. We have to value what we have done, the trophies won. We are playing against a great team this Friday. We play more or less well, it depends on the matches but we have to show that we are the same team as last season.
Bradley Barcola has a finishing problem. Can we change this?
You have to be careful what I say. Every attacker can improve their finishing. They know it because I always say it: it is important to know the areas for improvement defensively or offensively. We can improve on this.
Will athletic preparation be different with the end of the Coupe de France?
This season is special. For all players. We had to manage the minutes and the matches with injured players. In each line. We are in a different scenario from last season. There will be four fewer Coupe de France matches and perhaps two fewer in the Champions League if we finish in the TOP 8. This means that the training load will be different. It’s easier to manage a schedule with fewer games. There is less risk of injury. Playing every three days brings duels, contacts, injuries.
Rolland Courbis, who died this week, loved developments in football. And you ?
Yes I heard this news. My condolences to his family. It’s important to evolve as a sport. We must look for more offensive football, more beautiful for the supporters. You have to search. Three years ago I heard (Michel) Platini say that we had to play with 10 players rather than 11. I am open to changes, to analyzing different things, to draw conclusions.
Is it good to now meet Lille after the elimination against PFC?
Lille is a very good team. We had difficulties against them each time. It will be difficult. We have to win the match to improve our position in the standings.
“We clearly deserved to win against the PFC”
Do you want to recruit to regenerate your group?
Of course ! We are open all the time but that has nothing to do with the defeat against PFC. What I see from the team is positive. There will be no rush.
Have you called your two players involved in the CAN who will face each other this Sunday in the final, Achraf Hakimi for Morocco and Ibrahim Mbaye for Senegal?
(Malicious) They are so tired of seeing me here on Campus that I leave them alone. I’m very happy for both. I hope they will enjoy this final. One of them will come back angry and annoyed. I wish them the best. We will see the winner. They will come back quickly.
How did you experience the elimination against the PFC?
The sheet that separates a victory from a defeat is very thin. We clearly deserved to win against the PFC. We lost, we accept the result and we wish the opponent good luck in the competition. I hope it will be a motivation to face the teams in the league and the Champions League, which are the most important competitions for us. But we really like the Cup and it’s a shame for us.
