Stade de Reims vs PSG - Luis Enrique pre-match press conference

A rather relaxed Luis Enrique, eager to return to the league, attended the press conference on the eve of Ligue 1 MD5 game between Stade de Reims and PSG.

The Spanish coach doesn't seem too bothered by recent criticism or the muscular injuries affecting several players. He also discussed individual cases, including Ousmane Dembele, Kang-In Lee, and Ibrahim Mbaye. Here are his full comments.

Stade de Reims vs PSG - Luis Enrique pre-match press conference

Will the absences of Marco Asensio and Goncalo Ramos benefit Randal Kolo Muani? Do you fully trust him to make up for these absences?

"Good morning, everyone (in French). Injuries are part of football. In Marco's case, fortunately, it's nothing serious. Injuries are never good news for players. We are a team, a small family. When someone is injured, we all suffer."

There are many injured players: Asensio, Ramos, Donnarumma, Kimpembe is in recovery, and also Lucas Hernandez. Do you regret not having brought in more reinforcements during the transfer window? How do you manage all these absences?

"No." (responding to the first question, not the second one).

Ousmane Dembele is doing much better this season, with 3 goals and 2 assists already. How do you explain his improvement, and why is he now more decisive? Did anything happen between you two this summer? His last game against Girona was a bit more complicated. Do you think he still has areas to improve?

"In my opinion, Ousmane Dembele is very similar to last season. Perhaps he's a bit more efficient in finishing, but he's always been a key player for us, with a unique ability to take on opponents. He's always a threat to our rivals. We can work a bit more on his efficiency in front of goal, but that depends on the game situations and various factors. But again, last season’s version of Dembélé was excellent, and this year it's even better. And we’ll always aim to make it even better because he has the potential."

Tomorrow will be the first game of the season after a Champions League match. How does the squad feel physically three days after the Girona match?

"It's the shortest time we can have between two matches. There's always a risk when you play in the league right after the Champions League because you're moving from a highly demanding and interesting competition to the regular league games. But we'll face the challenge of playing away against a good opponent, and I hope we manage these different circumstances."

Recently, Michel Platini suggested playing with 10 instead of 11 players to create more space and reduce backward passing. Do you think it's a crazy idea or a good one?

"I don’t know, honestly. I’ve never thought about it. There are certainly many options to improve our sport. If Michel Platini has said this, I’m sure he’s thought it through. I’m open to everything. Fewer players on such a big pitch could be interesting. At the Olympics, I discovered seven-a-side rugby and three-a-side basketball, so who knows? I can’t really comment on it, but I’m always open to anything that could improve our sport."

After the win against Girona, there was a lot of criticism. Do you think it was unfair?

"There are many scenarios. The first, which I consider very positive, is when a team manages to be better than its opponent during the match. Generally, if you’re better than your opponent, you should win. And the Girona coach admitted after the game that PSG had been better.

There’s another scenario, which I consider even more positive: having the belief and mentality that you can win the game until the final whistle. To give everything until the end. What happened against Girona was very positive because both scenarios occurred. The belief, the mentality, and the refusal to give up are qualities that should define our team and players. Our fans already have that. It's positive."

How do you manage and optimise Achraf Hakimi’s performances, considering he plays continuously for both club and country? Are you not worried about a potential drop in form or even a muscle injury?

"(He taps the table). The French touch wood for good luck. Of course, Hakimi’s performance has been at the top for several years now, both physically and technically. We try to take care of our players as much as possible. Throughout the season, there are many moments to manage these personal situations, and we hope to see Hakimi at this level for many more years."

The squad has lost quite a few players this summer. Do you think, however, that overall, it is better this season? If so, why?

"Before we even knew what the squad would look like, I had said last season that we would have a better team this year. And I think next year we will be even better, although I don’t know which players we’ll have. It’s a positive mindset I try to instil in the club and my players, and yes, I believe we have a better team this year than last. But that’s just my opinion."

Eric Roy (Brest) praised Lee Kang-in last weekend. How would you rate his start to the season, and what makes him a 'Luis Enrique-compatible' player?

"'Luis Enrique-compatible'? I’m compatible with all players (laughs). And it’s better if they’re compatible with me, otherwise, it’ll be tough for them. Ultimately, my job is to be unfair. I insist, unfair. Why do I say that? Because in the last match against Girona, there were 16 players who, in my opinion, deserved to start, but only 11 can play.

So, I’m going to be unfair all season. I hope to be very unfair, as that would mean they’re all ready to play and perform at a high level. That’s the only requirement players have when they sign their contracts. Whether it’s harsh or not, that’s the job of PSG’s coach. I try to do the best I can. Against Girona, I was unfair to four or five players, indeed, that’s true, but 'that’s life' (in French).

Regarding Lee Kang-in, he’s a player the club invested in. He was signed before I joined. When I arrived and found out he was here, I was delighted because he’s a player I knew very well from his time in La Liga. He’s a very special player, different, who can play in midfield or attack. He fits perfectly into the idea of an intelligent player, both with and without the ball. He can play in multiple positions; he’s versatile and physically strong. I’m very happy to have him."

The Brest coach said they struggled a lot with your counter-pressing in the second half. The Girona coach said the same thing. How do you work on this in training, and is it a deliberate strategy?

"It’s clear that it’s a characteristic of our game. Every day in training, we work on our positional play. These positional drills in training are somewhat reflective of what we do during matches. Normally, we have more possession than our opponents during matches. The occupation of space is crucial. It’s also vital to be able to press immediately after losing the ball.

To do that, everyone must press, not just one or two players. All the players need to press. When you’ve been doing this for months as we have, you’re able to recover the ball quickly. This provides more attacking opportunities and more favourable attacking situations. It’s perhaps one of the characteristics that best defines my teams."

Ibrahim Mbaye started against Le Havre. Could he be a candidate to start tomorrow against Reims?

"Anything is possible in life. It’s clear he’s a very young player, but he’s been training with us since the first day (of pre-season). He’s continuing to evolve, and I think for young players who train with us, it’s a unique learning experience because we introduce them to the real world of top-level football. You’ll see a lot of him with us this season because he has the level to help us."

If you had to choose two or three words to describe your team’s style of play, what would they be?

"Ambitious, generous, and highly capable."

Several key players have recently spoken out about the congested fixture schedule. Some have even mentioned the possibility of a strike. Would you also be willing to consider a strike to finally find a solution to this overcrowded calendar?

"We’re fortunate that our league has two fewer teams, which means four fewer matches over the season. Obviously, if I were in the Premier League or La Liga, I might say something different. I think the French league has been smart to adapt to the needs of the clubs. I don’t have much to add. The schedule is going to get busier, and we’ll have to adapt."

You’re facing a Reims side tomorrow that has had a solid start to the season, at least in terms of points. What’s your view of this team and tomorrow’s match?

"Starting from the principle that there are no easy matches when playing away, and knowing this team and its coach, who gave us some problems last season, it’s going to be difficult. I’ve also been told that they watched the match against Girona, which may give them some ideas about how to defend against us. We’ll need a very good version of PSG to take the three points, which is our goal. They have good wide players who could cause us problems. I’m excited to get back to the league."