The Paris Saint-Germain coach will aim to guide his team to victory at the Orange Velodrome for Easter Sunday’s ‘Le Classique’, staged between two of France’s biggest club sides.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has told his players to keep cool heads ahead of their Ligue 1 clash against Marseille on Sunday at the Orange-Velodrome stadium.
Speaking to PSG TV and the media ahead of his side’s faceoff, Enrique discussed how his team is preparing for the rivalry between France’s biggest club sides, known as Le Classique.
“We want to concentrate on the next game every time and we only prepare the team for the next match. The next one is Marseille, and we’re not thinking about anything other than this game. These are different matches, because of the rivalry between the clubs and the fans,” Enrique said.
“You have to go into them highly motivated, and you have to be able to manage your nerves and stay calm. But it’s a nice challenge coming back from the break. We’re concentrating on our strengths, on what we know how to do, to win matches,” the Spanish coach and former player added.
On top of the leaderboard, the Parisians are 12 points clear of second-placed Brest, and hold an aggregate 7-0 scoreline against Marseille in the last two head-to-heads.
Speaking on the importance of the match, Enrique said that PSG aims to win.
“I’m very aware of the importance of Le Classique for the players, the fans and the club. My job is to ensure that everything goes as well as possible for us. Our aim is to win, to keep getting closer to the title and to beat our rivals. We want to go to Marseille to be competitive and win,” the Spanish coach voiced.
Winger Bradley Barcola is ruled out as he deals with an injury, Enrique said that the group needs to step up to get a victory.
“The ideal situation is for a player who is replacing an injured player to be effective and to put in some great performances. We need to keep the players in this group spirit. There’s competition and we have to maintain it so that everyone is ready when the team needs them,” Enrique said.
A time to reset for PSG
As PSG prepares for superstar Kylian Mbappe’s exit, the Parisian club seeks to reset its vision.
Earlier this month, Qatari club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi spoke about the direction of the French project.
Speaking to RMC Sport, the Qatari owner highlighted the good work of coach Luis Enrique and sporting adviser Luis Campos this season.
“We’re building a new team, so it’s not easy. Players aren’t ready just because we put them together. I’m also proud of our coach (Luis Enrique), who’s doing a fantastic job,” Al-Khelaifi said.
“He’s doing an incredible job building all of this. It’s not just about results; it’s also about how we play, the strategy, the vision. I’m also very proud of the sporting director (Luis Campos), who’s also doing a fantastic job. All the players too. We’re really happy,” Al-Khelaifi added.
Mbappe is reportedly expected to leave PSG at the end of the season as football experts expect him to ink a contract with Real Madrid.
However, since voicing his intentions not to renew his contract at the French capital, PSG management, particularly coach Enrique, has treated the departing footballer differently.
Earlier this month, Enrique took Mbappe out of PSG’s match against Monaco after the first half, and the week before, the French superstar was subbed after playing 65 minutes against Rennes.
Enrique said via EuroSport that the decision was not personal, stating, “I’m not going to get into this game. I’m a professional; I don’t have a problem. It’s just a question of handling a situation that is best for the team.”
The terms of Mbappe’s exit are yet to be fully agreed upon by PSG, but an official announcement is expected once the situation is finalised in the next few months.
