It was a Luis Enrique obviously happy but not triumphant who presented himself at a press conference after Monaco/PSG (2-4). He returned to the match, mentioned a few individual cases and had a very collective message overall. Here are his full remarks, translated by us.
Even when you were behind, you still had control and you were able to show your superiority today. The score is perhaps a little heavy for Monaco but does it seem logical for PSG this evening?
“I think we played a very high level match, with a lot of seriousness from the start of the match. In the first half, we created a lot of chances against a team that defended very well and knew how to keep the ball. We dominated the match constantly and limited their opportunities on the counterattack. The second half started with these 10 minutes which saw us concede another goal from the penalty spot. The match then took a different turn but even then, I was confident that we could equalize. This is what quickly happened. And then we took advantage of a set piece to achieve a very important victory which confirms that we maintain, as a team, a high level of performance throughout the season. »
Did you knock out Ligue 1 this evening with this new success?
“No, far from it. Five or six days ago we were only 5 points ahead. We played one more match than Marseille [2e au classement] and there is always Monaco [3e au classement],. With such a dense schedule, everything is far from over. The championship is still very open, there are still many days left. »
Do you feel like you’re in your best moment with the return of the injured, particularly Sergio Ramos?
“It’s always good news when players come back from injuries. But I feel that as a team we will continue to improve as long as the players make the most of their playing time and use their training sessions to show the coach that they want to play. Add to that the quality of our workforce and the range of possibilities it offers, I believe that this is exactly what we have been looking for from the beginning and what we are in the process of achieving. »
What is your feeling about tonight’s refereeing overall, but especially about what happened with Donnarumma? We could see him and Luis Campos speaking to the referee at half-time. He looked very scarred.
“There are always ugly actions to be seen but in no case was there intentionality. As far as we are concerned, I never criticize a football refereeing decision. It’s a contact sport. It’s unfortunate that this is happening but it’s happening because it’s a contact sport, I repeat. And there is nothing to say. nothing to comment on. »
Around the 20th minute of play, you reversed the positions of João Neves and Warren Zaire-Emery. Why this change?
“Simply because I have players capable of playing in different positions and we had conceded some counter-attacks from the opponent on this side. With player versatility, we can afford to swap players without sacrificing a change or substitution window. And I think Warren felt more comfortable in that position [en passant de relayeur droit à arrière gauche, ndlr]more able to control the possible arrivals of his opposing players. And in the middle, João was able to create a lot of danger for us. As a coach, you can only have these options and resources if you have players who can be versatile. »
You will face Lens on Sunday in the Coupe de France. What assessment do you make of the season over this calendar year, in the Champions League and in the championship with these 10 points in advance?
“Accounts can only be made at the end [de la saison]. At school, final grades are given in June [en Espagne] and I imagine it’s the same in France. Looking forward to June, I’m very happy with my team’s performance so far. I believe we deserve a lot more points in the Champions League but we accept [la situation]. And for the rest, I have nothing but praise. We continue to improve in terms of statistics and performance. We do not depend on one or two or three or four players, we only form a single unit with very young players who show a great desire to progress. The results seem very positive to me but I repeat: until the season is over, we will not really be able to judge whether we were up to par or not. »
It’s three games in a row for Gonçalo Ramos. Is the turnover due to his return from injuries or is he subject to the same competition as all the other players?
“It depends on each match. I want all the players to be ready to play, to be available. Gonçalo is coming back from injury but he came on and every time he plays he scores. Désiré has now joined the team as a starter and he is also on a good run. That’s what being a team is: positive synergies. When players improve their performance, they play more. When they are less good, they play less. The best news for a coach is to see all his players on a good run in terms of efficiency and to be able to exploit it. »
