Making truce and peace rhyme, finding a bit of serenity, of that calm which had been sunny all summer and which a simple return trip to London seems to have shaken up. Since the sun of the Coast is said to be soothing, the trip to Nice, this Sunday October 6 on the eve of the international break, must have these virtues, balsamic and healing, so as not to have the stigmata brought back from across the Channel gradually transform into balls for heads and legs.
Paris, that’s the paradox, has only lost once this season, Tuesday on the lawn of a better armed Arsenal (2-0), but already the tremors seem to be testing a building that nevertheless wants to be more compact and homogeneous than the previous one. Luis Enrique’s team certainly scores goals like pearls in Ligue 1 (20), sits at the head of the best attacks, is undefeated on the national scene and shares the championship leader’s chair with AS Monaco but the events of the week are not enough to offer him a totem of immunity.
Even at the time of going to challenge the Aiglons, swept away Thursday by Lazio (4-1) and prey to doubt despite the spectacular card passed to Saint-Étienne (8-0) during their second and, for the hour, last success of this start of the year.
“If we have to look for a culprit, it’s me”
No doubt because the nervousness was invited to the party, both behind the scenes and on stage, and lifted the veil on faults into which PSG was no longer used to falling. In this environment, for example, which has become so complementary that we no longer thought it capable of getting through in this way, even against much denser adversaries. On this attack which, even without a real point, had always been able to find the net. And on this guard, too, whom new competition had until then spared from culpable delays in his aerial sorties.
An observation, in the case of the Italian doorman, far too individualized for Luis Enrique who says he is “used to people picking on Donnarumma”. But who, after appearing annoyed and short of words on Tuesday at the Canal + microphone, found himself more talkative on Saturday noon in his fight to protect his team and unite his troops.
“I think the fault is not that of a player on the field,” he recalled, referring to the setback in London. If we have to look for a culprit – and it is obvious that you are looking for one – it’s me, it’s the coach. I understood it, I have no problem with that. My career is full of these kinds of situations. I will overcome this through work and my ability to convince the players. »
“I always think of the good of the team”
Will Ousmane Dembélé be part of this group of convinced people? Deprived of traveling to London due to a language gap and a slight delay, the French international resumed training on Friday and is fit for duty. Enough to be part of the trip to Nice?
“Each player has a series of obligations to fulfill towards the team,” replied his coach. Those who do it are there. If someone doesn’t do it tomorrow, especially if they make a serious mistake, I make the necessary decisions because I always think of the good of the team. »
Paris’s today is to return to normal, finding the path to this success which will allow it to keep its head on its shoulders and that of the championship.
