Preview for PSG v Nice
PSG boss Luis Enrique admits his team have room for improvement but was eager to stress they still top Ligue 1 ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s game against Nice.
The European champions were held to a 1-1 draw at Lorient on Wednesday night after a performance that typified recent displays – a little sloppy and lacking the sharpness that characterised last season’s quadruple success.
It has, so far, not been the all-conquering team that strolled to the Ligue 1 title with PSG already dropping nine points in their opening 10 games.
Asked about his side’s lack of rhythm, Luis Enrique said: “It’s life, it’s football! Don’t worry, we have a lot of games to improve. If we look at the Champions League, the results are much better than last season which is rewarding.
“We are trying to win every game. In the end, the team that will win Ligue 1 will be the most consistent, not just in the first 10 games. At the moment, we are first, we must not forget that, but of course we can improve our performance.”
Luis Enrique allowed Achraf Hakimi some days’ rest to recuperate after a hectic schedule over the past 12 months and suggested he would be willing to do it with others players in the coming weeks.
“Of course, I am looking to improve individual performance, I am open to making players rest,” he said. “If he needs a little rest, it’s not a problem.
“We have a different mentality. Players can talk to the staff about a rest, we can offer them those moments. This happened in previous seasons, with Kylian [Mbappe] and Ousmane [Dembele].
“I like that the players arrive with a smile, that they want to play football. It’s not a problem for me to give them rest.”
PSG don’t have many bogey teams such has been their dominance domestically but Nice fall into that category having won on their last two visits to the Parc des Princes.
And Luis Enrique is determined to end that run tomorrow.
“Of course, it’s an added motivation,” he said. “It is not normal for us, we are not used to these type of results at home. This is clearly a motivation for tomorrow. It will also be very difficult, because they are in a positive moment. There is no other team with such a good record against PSG.”
Nice have not lost in the French top-flight since September 20 and Luis Enrique is wary of a side coached by former Lens boss Franck Haise.
“It’s hard to play against his teams,” said the Spaniard. “I remember that when we played against him when he was not at Nice. I hope to motivate my players to overcome the difficulty of the match and win the three points.”
