Axel Allag, Media365, published on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 2:13 p.m.
On the eve of PSG’s Champions League debut (against Girona on Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes), Marquinhos and Luis Enrique appeared at a press conference. The Spanish coach praised the capital club’s project, in which he has flourished since his arrival.
PSG will still be on the starting line to hope to win the Champions League. In this new 36-team format that will offer spectators more “great matches with big teams competing” according to Marquinhos, the capital club will have high goals, with the primary ambition of being in the top 8 to avoid play-offs. “We have the goal and the dream of shining in this competition. My teammates are still the best in the world for me, even if there are no big names. We are ready to go for great things, big things,” continued the captain, in comments reported by L’Equipe. Marquinhos, too, considered the recent winners of the tournament as more established favorites, with Real Madrid or Manchester City in the lead, who PSG will challenge on January 22 at the Etihad Stadium.
Luis Enrique considers the PSG project “more malleable” than the one known at Barça
Shortly after the Brazilian, Luis Enrique answered questions from the media, refusing to make hasty conclusions about a PSG eager to forget Kylian Mbappé through a more collective project. Recalling that the project had been clearly defined since last season, the Spanish coach advocated patience. “But to draw conclusions, we have to wait until the end of the season and perhaps several seasons to see if this idea has been able to be carried out. It’s something that I like. I think it’s a good decision to come here,” he commented, also not setting “any limits” for his players and dismissing the idea of a supposed lack of experience for his young squad. “I have experience in the Champions League? You can win and not have experience. I don’t set any limits for my players: having experience or playing football well? I see experienced players making mistakes,” he noted.
Valuing Girona as “one of the best Spanish teams with a great coach, Michel”, the PSG coach reaffirmed all the good he thought of the capital club’s project. A project “more malleable” than the one known at Barça, when the Catalan club benefited from a team already made. “Here, we wanted to create something, our own stars trying to convince young players on how to play. Here, it’s a more malleable project”, developed Luis Enrique, who is trying to give back to president Nasser al-Khelaïfi and Luis Campos their confidence “by bringing results”.
