The Paris Saint-Germain coach made surprising comments about Manuel Ugarte on Wednesday. The reasons for this statement are multiple.
Since his arrival in France, Luis Enrique has worked to protect his players at each press conference. From Gianluigi Donnarumma to Randal Kolo Muani, via Ousmane Dembélé or Gonçalo Ramos, all the Paris Saint-Germain players occasionally singled out were publicly defended by the Spanish technician.
The exception which confirms the rule concerned Kylian Mbappé, but it must be placed in context. It concerned the leader of the project, a beast with an oversized ego, a strong player with a strong temperament and a sometimes contested attitude. And Luis Enrique was smart enough to challenge his star in ideal timing, after a hat-trick scored in Reims and in a pleasant tone.
Wednesday, the sting addressed to Manuel Ugarte was much more acidic. Asked by a South American journalist about the absence of the Uruguayan during the Champions Trophy against Toulouse (2-0), the PSG coach let go. “ Ugarte? Today he was magnificent: no lost balls, no mistakes, perfect.” said the Spanish technician, ironically.
Why Luis Enrique made these comments about Ugarte
A surprising statement that lends itself to several interpretations. Publicly displaying a player is a rare move among technicians at this level. Apart from the explosive José Mourinho, coaches of this stature are accustomed to locking down their communication. And Luis Enrique is more of the Pep Guardiola school.
If Manuel Ugarte saw his performance dip in several big Champions League matches after a sensational debut, it would be surprising to see his coach push him like this. The joke thesis is more credible. Quite confusing at a press conference, Luis Enrique does not hesitate to “troll” his interlocutor after a question deemed annoying.
Another possible reason would be a relational or disciplinary problem with the player. Otherwise, would Luis Enrique have made a definitive judgment on Ugarte’s ability to impose himself at the highest European level? At the start of the year, the Spaniard repeats with a smile his desire to see the squad strengthened. Wednesday’s outing would then be a stone in Luis Campos’ garden.
