Before this Monaco match in Lyon, the question was not whether PSG would be crowned champion of France but rather when. This Sunday evening, the capital club therefore registered its name on the Ligue 1 list for the 12th time in its history, the tenth since the arrival of the Qataris. This season, the Parisians finally seem to have laid the foundations of a new era, giving pride of place to the collective rather than to individuals. The end of the glitter demanded by Nasser al-Khelaïfi for two years. The big stars left last summer (Messi, Neymar, Sergio Ramos, Marco Verratti) and were replaced by players with less flashy names, but just as (or even more) important for the team (Ugarte, Hernandez, Dembélé , Asensio, Lee…)
With the way
The new coach Luis Enrique is obviously no stranger to this. He was able to build a team with an offensive game plan and a great capacity to adapt, even if his choices are not always understandable at first glance. In Ligue 1, more than this new title of champion, it is the manner which seduces, even the Ultras Paris collective. President Nasser, Mr. Campos and coach Enrique, a trio that puts PSG in the spotlight
wrote the group of supporters on a banner displayed on April 6 at the Parc des Princes during PSG – Clermont (1-1).
Confident in his ideas, Luis Enrique knew how to transmit the values of combativeness, rigor and a hatred of defeat to his group. His team has never collapsed this season in the Champions League, despite several contrary scenarios. And once is not usual, no major injuries when it counts, pivotgang or other controversies coming out of nowhere. Anything but a coincidence.
“Serenity and calm”
It is also no coincidence that the club went on a series of 27 matches without defeat in all competitions between November and April, the longest since 1993-1994. The coach conveys serenity and calm to us
, explained the Portuguese Danilo Pereira. A man of character, not always inspired in his communication, the Spaniard is a protective but firm manager with his group. He does not tolerate any deviation and does not joke with discipline.
For example, he required his players to report to the Poissy training center in the morning, even those who are injured or undergoing treatment. From the moment he arrived, he knew how to impose his authority. And since press reports reporting Kylian Mbappé’s departure next season were published, he has shown that he has no problem leaving the star on the bench.
However, the Asturian remains pragmatic and knows very well that he cannot deprive himself of the Bondynois during big matches. On the other hand, he has explained several times that the personal case of Kylian Mbappé, or anyone else for that matter, does not interest him. You are talking to me about a player but I prefer to speak from a collective point of view and not an individual point of view
he replied to a journalist at a press conference.
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Having passed through the FC Barcelona reserve, Luis Enrique also has the skills to help young players progress, whom they do not hesitate to launch into the deep end. We are obviously thinking this season of Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery, who perfectly embody the direction taken by the club. For all these reasons, the Spaniard is succeeding where many before him have failed. And even without a final victory in the Champions League, PSG’s season will already be accomplished.
