After PSG’s victory in Lens, it was an obviously satisfied Luis Enrique who presented himself at a press conference. He also answered practically all the questions without hiding, even about individual cases like Barcola, Nuno Mendes or even Hakimi. Here are his full remarks, translated by us.
What did you appreciate most about your players’ performance against Lens this evening? Their ability to react after a somewhat complicated start?
“The problems started in the second part of the first half”
“The match was very competitive, very difficult. Lens defends very well. We have played them three times this season and all three matches were difficult. It’s always complicated to attack against an opponent who defends like this: with character, personality, aggressiveness. Lens defends very well and it’s difficult. We started the match quite well, with control and the desire to create danger. We didn’t create many in the first half, but that makes sense to me. The problems started in the second part of the first half when the opponent started to create situations forcing us to run and put ourselves in more danger.
Once the goal was conceded, the match showed all the signs of a match that was going to get even more complicated. But we raised our level of play in the second half. We could see that the pace did not suit us and that we had to look more for depth and increase the number of scoring opportunities. We had the efficiency required by this match in the second half. We are very happy with this victory. We continue our very good momentum and we are ready for this competition [La Ligue des Champions] in which we place great hopes. »
Kvaratskhelia arrived in Paris yesterday. How do you plan to use it? On the left side or more like 9 or false 9? How to integrate it?
“(He checks) It’s been made official, right? So I can talk about it… (He continues) As an attacker. He’s a player we’ve been trying to recruit since we arrived (at PSG). He has all the qualities we look for in a recruit: experience from youth, shots, goals, great defensive withdrawal ability. He is a player who will strengthen our squad which is already very good, very good. As we have seen, even without Ousmane (Dembelé) or without Hakimi, the team continues to show character, personality and the ability to play on any opposing field. I think we were very good in attack, especially in the second half and I think (Kvaratskhelia) is a very good reinforcement. I hope he can demonstrate it as the seasons progress. »
What lessons have you learned from your 3-4-3 since you adjusted your offensive animation in the second half with a more sharp and offensive 3-3-3-1?
“For our part, we don’t talk about systems. We always talk in terms of occupying spaces, both in attack and defense, and that’s fine. Afterwards, people like to make compositions with the number of players (per line) but it is very difficult to analyze our system from this angle. We play to attack, press and get the ball as quickly as possible. To do this, we occupy a certain number of spaces. Depending on how these spaces are occupied, certain things, or others, happen. Depending on the players and the synergies between these players in these spaces, you find what we have put in place.
Having versatile players allows the coach to completely modify the team without making any changes
I have emphasized it in many press conferences: having versatile players allows us to use wingers as midfielders, central defenders as wingers, wingers as number 9s, number 9s as wingers. .. This allows the coach to completely modify the team without making any changes. This is what we are looking for. For us, this is crucial to having an increasingly efficient team. And I think we proved that today. »
-Hakimi has not played for two games and is not on the injured list. Why and will he be there against Manchester City?
“To be honest, I don’t know if I can tell you about it, but it’s nothing serious anyway. We didn’t want to take any risks. It’s not really medical because he’s not injured. But during the last training session, he experienced a strange, somewhat questionable situation, and as Hakimi has already had a lot of playing time, we preferred to rest him. »
Barcola hadn’t scored for two and a half months in Ligue 1, it was done this evening. What did you think of his overall performance tonight? Do you think his goal will allow him to restart momentum for the second half of the season?
“Barcola is having an exceptional season”
“Barcola is having an exceptional season. He scored in the Cup, made an assist in the Cup. He scored today, and made an assist, right? Sometimes the stats are better, sometimes worse, but he is having a superb season, without a doubt his best professional season. Players are not machines, just pressing a button doesn’t make it work. As time goes on, everyone must be ready to give their maximum, and if not lucid on the offensive level, we must be able to surpass ourselves on the defensive level. If the finish is not there, we have to help the team as best we can because we are convinced that they will eventually come back.
Now he’s starting to score again during games, and that’s obviously a good thing for his confidence. But we have had great confidence in Barcola since last year and it must respond to this confidence with work. Whether he scores more goals or not, this season will undoubtedly already be the best of his career, which has only just begun. »
Why did you have Nuno Mendes play in the heart of the game, a first this season?
“For the same reason I mentioned before: versatility. With the ball, Nuno Mendes is one of our players who brings the most imbalance. With and without the ball too. In the same way, I can position him in the recovery phase in a creative triangle, he can play in width, he can play between the lines, he can even play as a 9… He can play wherever you want and I I like having this option. The difficulties of the match allowed for different possible reactions and I think he was very good. I like having this type of player. »
How do you judge the performance of your defense which was a bit unprecedented with the absence of Marquinhos and Hakimi?
“This is precisely the objective of the Paris Saint-Germain players: to help the team when it needs it and the coach gives them the opportunity. I think Beraldo, Pacho, Lucas and Warren were very good, facing tough, difficult opponents and very strong attackers who handled the ball well. The team especially played better in the second half, forcing them to occupy the heart of the game each time the goalkeeper restarted with a long ball, thus pushing them offside. We were really better both in attack and defense in the second half. »
