Paris St Germain takes on Brest in Ligue 1 this weekend before beginning its Champions League campaign four days later, but despite the extra games this season manager Luis Enrique has said there will be no change in how he operates.
The new league phase of the Champions League means PSG will face eight games between now and January, compared to six before, and its first match is against Spanish side Girona on Wednesday after it hosts Brest on Saturday.
“It’s true, the schedule is a bit different but I don’t think it is going to change the way I work as a coach,” Luis Enrique told a press conference on Friday.
“I have principles that I think are best for the team. It is always good to have around 20 players who think they can play, rather than 12 or 13. That is something that has always produced the best results for me.
“Now we are playing every three days with an intense schedule. I am still calm. Of course, players can get injuries or suspensions but I am confident we can manage all of that this season.”
Midfielders Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery are unlikely to feature in Saturday’s game after picking up injuries during the international break with Portugal and France respectively.
PSG could also be without Gianluigi Donnarumma after the goalkeeper became a father and Luis Enrique has yet to decide on the Italian’s involvement against Brest.
Bradley Barcola, 22, has four goals from PSG’s opening three wins, having got that amount in the league in total last season, and he also netted for France against Italy last week but the manager said the only pressure on the forward is from the media.
“It would be easy to protect the players without journalists. Right now everyone is talking about Barcola. People said he couldn’t play in the past, that he wasn’t ready for the Champions League,” Luis Enrique added.
“But we’re lucky that he is very sensible, humble and hard-working.
“Throughout the season there are highs and lows for everyone and we have to manage that. The press always wants something black or white, but that is not how it is.”
Last season Brest held PSG to a 2-2 draw in Paris and ended the season in third place to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
“We analysed what they did against us last season. We found it very difficult in every game without exception,” Luis Enrique said. “So it will be the same thing tomorrow.”
PSG is top on nine points, while Brest is 12th with three.
Comments
SHARE