The international break is over and Paris Saint-Germain are preparing to launch a marathon of eight decisive matches before the end of the year, starting with the reception of Le Havre this Saturday. But while the atmosphere should be good with the return of the internationals and the recent distinctions (Achraf Hakimi elected African Player of the Year), Luis Enrique surprised everyone at a press conference. Far from rejoicing at the shower of praise falling on his players, the Spanish coach displayed a concerned expression and took advantage of the opportunity to make a real rant against… individual rewards.
“Individual prices don’t interest me! »: Dry reframing
Asked about the level of Joao Neves or the coronation of Hakimi, Luis Enrique cut short the praise to deliver his thoughts. “ I’m a little concerned about the noise I hear around the team and the prizes given to the players,” he blurted out, visibly annoyed by the media environment. For him, these distinctions are dangerous distractions. “ I don’t care about individual prices. Less price and more focus on what we want. » A clear message sent to his locker room: the star system must not parasitize the collective.
Hakimi congratulated, but called to order
Even when mentioning Achraf Hakimi, author of an exceptional season and rewarded with the title of best African player, Enrique could not help but add nuance. If he recognizes that the Moroccan was “at a top level”, he immediately recalled the club’s philosophy: “ Individual trophies are a bit weird, players have to think about being important to the team first. » A constant requirement which aims to keep its players’ feet on the ground before crucial deadlines.
Despite the successes, Luis Enrique keeps his feet on the ground before Le Havre
Le Havre, the trap match par excellence
This “concern” of the coach can also be explained by the nature of the upcoming match. Luis Enrique particularly fears this recovery against Le Havre (12th in L1). “ It will be the first match after the break and they are different matches because it’s easy for the players not to be focused enough,” he warned. He expects a “difficult” meeting, reminiscent of PSG’s struggles against the Normans last season. The objective is to maintain the winning momentum to stay at the top of the championship before facing Tottenham and Monaco.
Dembélé uncertain, squad management headache
To make matters worse, the preparation for this match was truncated. Luis Enrique lamented having only been able to work tactically with “six players” during the break. In addition, the vagueness persists around Ousmane Dembélé. “ I don’t know, I’m not a doctor,” he responded dryly regarding the presence of the French winger, suggesting that we will have to wait for the next few weeks to see him again. Between managing egos, returning from the truce and infirmary, Luis Enrique wants to quickly put his team back in “fight” mode to win everything.
