Luis Enrique Defends PSG ‘Imperfect’, Backs Under-fire Donnarumma Ahead of Ligue 1 Showdown Against Nice
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique is optimistic about his “not-so-perfect” side and said that despite the latest defeat to Arsenal, they are still on course to achieve all that they set out to in all fronts this season. Speaking a day ahead of a crucial Ligue 1 match against Nice, Enrique vindicated his team, especially goal stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has come under much criticism, and renewed his confidence in a PSG side that could conquer it all.
Champions League Backdrop: An Opportunity to Learn
PSG’s 2-0 loss to Arsenal in the group stage of the Champions League earlier this week raised several issues with their performance in Europe. Still, Luis Enrique is no one to give up, observing: “They are my players still improving with me.”.
“We are imperfect, we will improve, but I am sure that this team will battle in all competitions,” Enrique said in a pre-match press conference before their Ligue 1 match against Nice. The Spaniard made it clear that the defeat in London was not enough for the campaign to be defined.
“If we replay this match against Arsenal, at home at the Parc des Princes, perhaps the result will not be the same,” he added, suggesting that his team has the quality to challenge top European sides like Arsenal. Enrique said PSG is still “a work in process” and feels the team is “not far” from the mark that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal set and have steadily improved over five years.
Defense of Donnarumma: ‘Pick on Me Instead
Of course, the spotlight must focus on Gianluigi Donnarumma after his not-so-great performance against Arsenal. He was pinpointed guilty of the two goals, which were scored while he was literally at the very heart of each event. There has been more than a slight question over his solidity on match days. However, Luis Enrique did not take much time and defended Donnarumma. He asked the media and fans to shift the blame onto him.
“When defeat gets in, it’s a very sorrowful thing to speak of hitting at a player. We often pick on Donnarumma, please leave him alone and pick on me instead,” Enrique told the journalists. His statement was an evident appeal to shield his goalkeeper from unmerited criticism and one which serves the purpose strongly that football is indeed a team game and the responsibility cannot solely be put into the shoulders of one player.
Enrique tries to defend Donnarumma by proving he is completely responsible as a boss in taking failures on behalf of his boys but still holding up for his boys during the difficult times. “I wake up every morning to go and win all the competitions,” added the PSG coach, hence showing that he will not show any decline from the setbacks.
A Comparison with Arsenal: Time vs. Progress
Perhaps the most striking thing Luis Enrique said in his press conference was that PSG had spent far too little time building a team, especially when contrasted with Arsenal. Mikel Arteta has had five years to shape his Arsenal side into a cohesive force, whereas Enrique has only been at the helm of PSG for just over a year.
“Arteta has coached his team for five years. For us, it’s been a year and three months,” Enrique said, as though not even wanting to mention the time that would have been necessary to prepare a team ready to compete on the highest plane of this sport. Yet he had nothing to say about it being an excuse for PSG’s failing during the last campaign. Instead, he prefers to talk about his vision.
“It’s no excuse. Sometimes I have to make a team, not just win a trophy,” he added, outlining the need for long-term victory culture in PSG, much as Arteta has done for Arsenal. It reflects what it means: that the philosophy of Enrique on success in football has more than about going out there and scoring; building up a sustainable team environment that can be up there for years.
The disciplined and dembele: The leadership style of Enrique
Disciplinary issues were another topic of interest during the press conference. Ousmane Dembélé featured nowhere in the squad for the Arsenal game, and it was seen to be a disciplinary issue. Enrique did not want to say much regarding featuring Dembélé in the match with Nice, but what he did say was telling; on discipline within the team, he does not want to change.
“When a player doesn’t fulfill the demands, he is out of the field, but when he complies with them, he is ready,” Enrique said. “I am harsh when I have to be harsh, and more permissive when I can be. That’s my role.”
This approach shows a style of leadership by Enrique, which is marked by discipline and professionalism. Such disciplinary issues of Dembélé characterize his past; therefore, if he is expecting to have some start, he needs to be in line with expectations of the coach.
Focus on Nice: A Game PSG Desperately Needs in Ligue 1
Enrique is aware of this fact, of course that a victory this Sunday at Nice is very important for PSG. PSG and Nice are tied on points at the moment atop the league table, but Parisian possesses a small goal difference over the visitors. PSG will certainly feel confident of staying atop the league should they win this Sunday.
Quality against Nice, who have been in fine form this season, will provide a stiff test to PSG. But Enrique remains sanguine about his team’s quality to outclass others in the domestic competition.
After the loss to Arsenal, it is yet to determine how PSG will gain back their positivity to have better gameplay in the following matches. “We are not perfect, but we will keep improving,” Enrique said, pursuing his belief that PSG will continue to fight for silverware in both domestic and European competitions.
Conclusion: PSG Journey towards Improvement
Luis Enrique’s conference, ahead of the PSG–Nice match, captured the sentiment of a coach trying to cope with all the problems that come with the high-profile club being PSG. From him coming out to back Donnarumma to the imperfection in his team and emphasis on long-term winning, it says so much that a coach is focused more on building a team capable of winning at the highest level than being known in the market.
PSG hopes to recover from disappointing Champions League results last week when it resumes on the field to fight for its dominance of the French league.
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