PSG vs. Reims: Christophe Galtier pre-match press conference

PSG will face 11th-place Reims on Sunday, Jan. 28 as part of the Ligue 1 matchday 20. The Parisian club is coming off defeating minnows Pays de Cassel 0-7 on the road in the French Cup Round of 32 and is returning to the Parc des Princes this weekend.

Christophe Galtier held a pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon in which he shared some exciting nuggets ahead of the matchup with Reims next Sunday at the Parc des Princes, which at least for now is still the home of PSG. Here is what the coach said.

Asked about the nightmarish month of February PSG have ahead of them and dealing with multiple injuries...

"Presnel Kimpembe has resumed training and he will join collective training with the group in a few days. We will see how he feels because he needs rehabilitation work."

"Nordi Mukiele is still in care, working a lot indoors. I don't think he can get back to working with the group next week."

Christophe Galtier: "The schedule is what it is. We're not going to look for excuses."

"We get Marco Verratti back (this weekend), who was already with the group (earlier this week). His feelings are good, and he already completed some training seasons in full."

"The schedule is what it is. We're not going to look for excuses."

"The previous matches in Riyadh and in the Coupe de France were good for us to get in shape, and it was important that a lot of players played. We also performed full training sessions."

"We know that from Sunday, we will have less time to work on the details and the principles of the game. The sessions will be focused on recovery, and also much shorter."

About Achraf Hakimi's struggles with PSG compared to his world-beating showcases with Morocco...

"Hakimi had a very good World Cup, but also a very good first part of the season (at PSG) during which he adapted to different systems."

"He was sometimes very decisive (with PSG). He is a player on whom I count a lot, and I am satisfied with his first part of the season."

"I watched carefully his performances with the national team. He knows and I know he can do even better. He is competitive."

"I'm sure we will have a very high-level Achraf in the second half of the season."

About selling backup goalkeeper Keylor Navas...

"The transfer window ends in four days. I'm mostly focused on the games, not the business."

"Keylor is a great competitor. He's been exemplary on the job since the start of the season."

"Navas was named PSG's goalkeeper for the Cup, and I have confidence in him. But there is also what he feels. The management is very attentive to what Keylor wants to do next."

"We won't know where we are until the day after the transfer window closes. We will revisit our squad then."

"With regard to Navas and his career, we must respect him and listen to him. No decision has been made regarding his future."

About how PSG are getting ready for the Champions League matchup against Bayern Munich...

"(We are doing) a lot of work on the offensive transitions and formations, which has been poor lately, especially in the league."

"We worked a lot on the ability to recover our shape and pressing after losing the ball to prevent the opponent from getting organized to get the ball out."

"We also worked on athleticism."

About the impact of a tight February calendar on the team and how to manage the load of games...

"We will see how to recover the players, both during the games and the day after those matches."

"We have worked with the staff in charge of analyzing the performance and also with the medical staff to arrange travel as best as possible. Also to better plan training schedules and to take advantage of every moment we have to recover."

"There will be a lot of traveling and movement going on, but, above all, you have to perform and win."

About the potential arrival of forward Rayan Cherki or any other player before the transfer window closes next week...

"It's a long question that will generate a short answer."

"A lot has been said during the transfer window. But transfer window issues are in the hands of the president and (sporting director) Luis Campos. I'm focused on the upcoming game."

"(We agreed) if there was a departure, it had to be compensated. This departure took place in the offensive sector (Pablo Sarabia), and we are looking for a player to add to this position."

"We'll see if it will be such and such, or no one. I never talked about defensive reinforcements. It would be good if we could compensate for the departure in the offensive sector. We have a need in this area."

About the drama surrounding the vice-captaincy and Presnel Kimpembe's reaction on IG...

"Mea culpa, it was a miscommunication on my part."

"Kylian Mbappe is one of the vice-captains of this group, not the vice-captain."

"We have a captain and four vice-captains who are Kimpembe, Kylian, Marco Verratti, Sergio Ramos. Whenever Kimpembe has been on the pitch and Marquinhos hasn't, Kim has been captain."

"Seniority and experience are important criteria for this."

"(Redarging Kimpembe's IG) I prefer face-to-face conversations. I saw Kim's [social post], and I had a talk with him to explain the situation to him."