Montpellier vs PSG : Luis Enrique Pre-Match Press Conference

Following their qualification to the Champions League final thanks to their 2-1 victory over Arsenal midweek, Luis Enrique and his team are facing bottom of the league Montpellier, a side already relegated after a disastrous season.

Ahead of this anecdotal game, the Spaniard coach chose to rest seven of his usual starters, including Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha. These players will make their return to team training next Wednesday as Paris is set to face Montpellier with a heavily rotated squad.

Press Conference Transcript:

Q: On how to balance rest and competitiveness for the players and himself

Luis Enrique: " We have obviously a plan that has been established based on the minutes played and the travel that we are balancing. And of course, we are balancing playing time to arrive in the best conditions in the games that we have left. We are taking into account that the majority of our players will join their national teams after the Champions League final.

"So it is some kind of puzzle that we try to monitor for each players individually because each players need an individual plan. So I think that will help us to be competitive in all competitions until the end, which I think helped us so far, now we have these last matches to play.

"For me rest is very important, so the play can enter games mentally rested most importantly and we'll try to do it in the best possible way, and for me, well, I have the same rest as the players who don't go with their national teams and that's enough for me."

Q: On Ousmane Dembélé's fitness

Luis Enrique: " Ousmane is perfectly well. Today he trained with the team, he was given some rest but he wanted to be there and that is where is the individual aspect. He had the authorisation from the staff to stay home and rest, which is what we considered as the adequate rest but if you feel that you need to come or that you want to come then there is total liberty to the players. To us, it was the adequate resting time for the players but then each player decides."

Q: On if he is ready to make history with PSG

Luis Enrique: " We are all ready to make history at Paris. The fans are ready because it will be the second final, but the first with the fans because the first one was during Covid. It was a final but it was not really one because there was no fans that will be the first with the presence of the fans.

"If there is a team that deserved a final it is the PSG and who also deserve to win a Champions League. But too much positive energy could also be dangerous. Once this is said, yes I knew that Paris was founded in 1970, I was born the same year.

"I saw it from the Ultras, and in terms of connection between the players, the staff and the club, we have had a clear target since day one. And one of these two clubs, PSG or Inter will achieve what they want. We want to get there ourselves, and we hope it is time for our first Champions League trophy."

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