Continuing his media outings in recent weeks, Luis Enrique did not want to dramatize in a press conference after Auxerre/PSG (0-0) the lack of success of his team, insisting on the general content. He also mentioned some of his choices for the evening or the decisive Salzburg/PSG to come. Here are his full remarks, translated by us.
What is your analysis of the meeting?
“The analysis of the match is very positive. It is obvious that the result does not reflect what happened on the pitch, but we faced the second best team at home and in the first half we encountered normal difficulties against a physically fresh team, which defends at the back the ball and can be dangerous in transition. But I think we controlled them well. In the second half, the pace increased, as did the physical level. There was more space and we created a lot of chances. It's certain that there is a taste of unfinished business without the goal that wins a match but I have nothing to reproach my team. We tried everything until the end and we just have to keep pushing and pushing and pushing. »
You say “I have nothing to reproach my players since the start of the season”but there are still a lot of opportunities and very little finishing. After a while, it can't just be bad luck. This also means that there is technical waste. Is this something you emphasize to your players: finishing?
“If we analyze all the matches we have played in the league, we have exceptional statistics but yes, it is obvious. The solution does not lie in this halo of negativity that surrounds us. I see things from another point of view. We obviously need to be more precise and finish our actions better. We continue to work on these phases of play like all teams and coaches.
“I repeat: there is no magic formula”
But hey, it's obvious that today there were some inaccuracies in the last shot and remarkable saves from the opposing goalkeeper which prevented us from scoring a goal but I repeat: there is no magic formula. We continue to try to generate as many chances as possible, which is my responsibility as coach and that of the team, while continuing to ensure that the opponent creates very few. This is not enough to win, as we have seen in recent matches, especially in the Champions League. But I repeat that we must continue to convey confidence to my team and my players to resolve this problem. »
Isn't the problem at the mental level? And if it's mental, how do you work?
“It has nothing to do with the mind. Football confronts you with different situations. This team scores a lot of goals on average in the league and creates a lot of chances in every match. Today we know this series of matches without scoring, especially in the Champions League, but we will continue to insist. On Tuesday we will go to Salzburg and we will try to win the match with our usual weapons that we see in every match and every day. Then we will be more or less lucky but I will never criticize my team or my players because they miss an opportunity. Yes, I can criticize them internally if they don't display the right level of motivation or if they make avoidable mistakes. But if they score or miss…
“The players are the first to want to score, even more than the coach”
The players are the first to want to score, even more than the coach. I can't criticize that, I could never criticize it, I just encourage them to keep faith and try to improve. And obviously we can improve, there's no doubt about it. »
The second period, more intense and with more rhythm and chances, is the consequence of a change at half-time, of a different speech from you telling the players to let go and be more direct towards the opposing goal?
“No, under no circumstances. I say that at the start of the match, why wait until the second half? The opposing coach also says that to his players (at the start of the match), by no means just in the second half. It's just that if you do things well like we did in the first half, the opponent drops his physical pace in the second, he is less precise in passing, he has difficulty redoubled his efforts, he It is difficult for him to undergo changes of orientation, he has difficulty reaching the far post. It's just that the pace of the first half which didn't seem so high led to this in the second half. Our first 20-25 minutes of the second half were really exceptional, very, very good, against a very good opponent, who created danger against all the teams. I have nothing to reproach my team for. On the contrary, I encourage him to continue to insist and not to give up. »
Looking ahead to the match in Salzburg and given the last three results which were disappointing, is there any doubt?
“We will go to Salzburg motivated from the first minute. Without a net because we no longer have any margin”
“Doubt is especially present in you. Not at all for me. I have a memory like a goldfish. Do you know what it is? Having a goldfish memory means no longer thinking about the past result, that it no longer exists, and that the only thing that matters is the match against Salzburg. Because if we focus on the negative, we have so many people reminding us how bad we are that we'd probably be about to throw ourselves off a cliff. This is not the case, we insist as insist our supporters who continue to sing even after the end of the match. We will go to Salzburg motivated from the first minute. Without a net because we no longer have margin, but to give our best version. We will see what result we obtain. »
There have been tactical adjustments, with Zaire-Emery lower and Fabian Ruiz higher, why?
“Well, we are looking to balance the team, to create movement against an opponent who leaves very little space and who defends very close to their goal. We have a lot of versatile players. Sometimes it's Fabian like in the previous match, sometimes it's Viti, other times it's Nuno, today it was Warren. I think it gives us tactical richness to have different solutions and we don't need to change players to be able to play in different ways. Depending on each player's profile, things happen that we consider important in the match. »
