Large leader of Ligue 1 and already victorious in the Champions Trophy last January against Toulouse, Paris Saint-Germain has just locked its ticket for the grand final of the Coupe de France, which will take place in Lille on May 25 against 'OL. The success acquired against Stade Rennais on Wednesday evening in the semi-final of the competition (1-0) at the Parc des Princes represented the last big test against a major player in French football before the reception of FC Barcelona, next week, in the framework of the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League. In any case, the preparations follow one another and are similar in Paris. Victory against the great rival Marseille at the Vélodrome (0-2). Qualification against the Breton beast (1-1 in the championship in February). For Luis Enrique, this succession of serious matches represents a perfect way to list everything that is going well in his team and his system, while observing the small past flaws and the effectiveness of the corrections made over the months.
“I believe that we cannot summarize the potential of Barça, only to one player, even if it is Lewandowski. They are so talented, they are a very high level team. But before playing Barça in the Champions League, we must already prepare Clermont. This is what we did by preparing for this match in a very good way. We defended and pressed superbly. We defended well, despite conceding a few chances. And then if they manage to get past our defenders, we have a goalkeeper, he was signed for that”, Luis Enrique first analyzed when answering a question from a Polish journalist, at a post-match press conference on Wednesday evening. Unlike certain past seasons where PSG approached the month of April with injured players, internal crises flashing in the pan but also relative bad luck in draws, the Spanish coach's troops live a heavenly daily life where no fog on the horizon does not seem to disturb this group.
An emptying infirmary
Under the sunny skies of Paris, Luis Enrique has still had to juggle several hiccups in recent weeks, notably his list of injured players which has continued to grow. Presnel Kimpembe, absent all season, was quickly joined by his defense sidekick, summer recruit Milan Skriniar. Nuno Mendes took time to confirm his rehabilitation. Marquinhos' physical problem was ultimately more serious than expected. Without forgetting the long illness of Gonçalo Ramos. Today, everyone has returned to the group – except Kimpembe and Barcola. The latter has started his rehabilitation and should gradually reintegrate the group. Against Rennes, the Brazilian captain started. The Slovak rock came into play, while the Portuguese striker continues to work wonders in the Paris rotation. Stopped in full progress with this injury in the French team against Gibraltar for his first selection, Warren Zaire-Emery experienced a hasty return, one of the reasons which explains his drop in form. Hit against Rennes, the young Parisian star does not seem seriously injured according to Luis Enrique: “It’s a blow, nothing more. In principle, there will be no complications”.
And what is even more encouraging for Luis Enrique, the efficiency and realism of his system do not appear to be running out of steam. Regardless of the 11 players he lines up, his 4-3-3 with diverse and varied roles, particularly in attack, remains as strong as ever. Kylian Mbappé as a false striker, Ousmane Dembélé in a false number 10 role… The players were able to adapt to perform. The mastery of the match against Rennes is further proof of this: “We were able to dominate them, control the transitions and almost not concede any chances despite the quality and good performance of Rennes. We had total control of the ball and won it back very quickly whenever we lost it. We could perhaps have created more danger and depth in the first half, but hey, I think we were great in the first half. We defended very well”said the Spanish coach.
Group cohesion
Beyond the return of certain players from injuries, Luis Enrique can also count on a group totally devoted to his cause. Even the few standoffs with Kylian Mbappé and his clan do not seem to have disturbed the collective. This is evidenced by the big smiles and the common celebration after the victory against Marseille on Sunday: “We know that this month of April is going to be filled with big matches, but we are on the right track. When we started this season, we had this objective of arriving at the end of the season with as many titles as possible. We are well placed in the league, in the Cup final, and have two big matches to play against Barça in the Champions League. In every match there are rotations, we players are all involved. Now it's up to us to show in every game on the pitch. We have a good group with young people, competition, that’s what we need to achieve our objectives at the end of the season”, explained Lucas Hernandez in the mixed zone after the match against Rennes (1-0) in the Coupe de France. The French defender also took advantage of the absences of certain defense executives like Marquinhos to perfectly take on the role of defensive leader, a last versatile bulwark in the axis like the left flank who was able to guide Lucas Beraldo for the first months of the Brazilian in Europe.
But one week before the big shock against FC Barcelona at the Parc des Princes, Luis Enrique wants to advance his group step by step. If the match against Stade Rennais was a great success with qualification for the final of the Coupe de France, the Gijon-born coach hopes that his group will remain focused on the 28th day of Ligue 1 and this match against Clermont. A victory would officially bring the Parisians closer to a twelfth French championship title: “Before thinking about the C1, we must think about Clermont. We have to win three matches to be champions. It is important that the team shows a high level in all competitions. I believe that the supporters feel that there is a united team, which works, which plays well and which gives emotions”. Executives who have returned to good health in recent months, the good news which follows one another as much as the sporting successes and the recorded returns of several injured players… Everything is going well in the best of all worlds at Paris Saint-Germain. It is up to Luis Enrique to ensure that this idyllic climate is maintained in the final corner of this season since all the objectives have been ticked off for the moment.
