It was a relieved Luis Enrique but not necessarily enthusiastic about his team's match who presented himself at a press conference after Salzburg/PSG (0-3). The Parisian coach did not see a better match than against PSV or Atlético but he praised several good individual performances: Désiré Doué, Nuno Mendes and Gonçalo Ramos. Here are his full remarks, translated by us.
Is there any relief tonight for this team which had difficulty scoring, a form of liberation?
“Actually, to be honest, I don't think tonight's match was better than the one against PSV or against Atletico. I would even say that he was less good. But that’s one of the vagaries of football: we draw against PSV, we lose against Atletico and today we win…”
You have often spoken of Désiré as a talented player since the start of the season, while remembering that he was 19 years old. What made you decide to start him in the 67th minute instead of the first half scorer?
“Désiré Doué helped make our overall service better through his performances”
“For me, during the last three matches in which he took part, Désiré Doué helped make our overall performance better through his performances. Today, he was exceptional in attack and defense, in a position that is not his, as number 9, but I am very happy with his last three games. I have said it since day one: he is a player in whom we have great confidence. »
We still felt joy and relief when the final whistle blew. You hugged your staff. Does this victory still do Paris Saint-Germain good since you achieved this evening what you had not achieved against other teams like PSV?
“I think we should have had a lot more points at this stage based on the stats and our performance. Of course we have to improve but it is obvious that this result comforts the team. And since we don't yet know the number of points needed to qualify, nor the number of goals – with just one goal you can be eliminated from the Champions League – it was important to score goals. In the last 10-15 minutes, we could have scored two or three more goals but hey, we have to take it step by step. The next match will pit us against Manchester City, an easy match then (he is ironic), and we will do everything to win it. »
In the build-up, the goals crescendoed until the staff exploded on the third. Are you not in the process of understanding, with your players, what you expect in the transition, in the achievement, and therefore in the success?
“The third goal is a work of art”
“The third goal is a work of art, a demonstration of how to get rid of an opponent's high pressure, with few touches of the ball, with players who occupy the spaces well to create situations of numerical superiority. The third goal is a true work of art and that's why we celebrate it this way. »
You say tonight's game was « pire » than the one against PSV or Atletico, can you elaborate?
“To be 100% sure of my analysis, I have to rewatch the match but what I am certain of is that tonight's match is not better than the other two mentioned, nor in number of chances, nor in number of situations. »
Does playing with Gonçalo Ramos change the way you play or not in your eyes?
“It’s clear that Gonçalo Ramos is more of a finisher”
“No, our game does not change depending on the characteristics of each player. It is clear that Gonçalo Ramos is more of a finisher, a player who brings continuity. But that's not his best quality, it's just another player profile. »
The pressure of having to win must certainly have been there tonight, as always, but are you relieved after this victory and did you think it would be so easy?
” Easy ? No, she wasn't. Despite our constant domination during the game, it was not easy. The game remained open until the second goal. But no, it wasn't easy. We had to have a good match and play with intensity. »
In recent matches, we have seen a lot more offensive situations for Nuno Mendes. Tonight he scored. Why did you consider it necessary to give Nuno Mendes more offensive rounds?
“Nuno Mendes is a player who has two profiles”
“For his physical and technical qualities, because he is a player who has two profiles: he can play in defense or complete the attacking trio. He has the capabilities. Today, considering the state of the other players, Nuno brings a lot in attack, whether in terms of assists or actions such as the goals he scored. He provides the team with alternative solutions depending on the state of the other players. We always seek to play on this and create the best possible synergies, those that recur most frequently. This is why Nuno plays higher. When we see that other players are lighter, we have this possibility of interchanging them. And I think that's a good thing for us. »
Can we have news of Nuno Mendes who is out injured?
“It's just a blow but nothing serious. »
