Ahead of the Ligue 1 clash against Auxerre, Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique talked about his side’s situation at present and feels it is crucial for them to develop despite having so many players also sidelined.



Strong Performance Against Marseille

Asked about his thoughts on the last game against Olympique de Marseille, Enrique replied:

"I think we played a good game and didn't deserve to lose. We had enough opportunities to score and even in our losses we at least have to draw, it’s football and we won’t complain about the result.”

Update on Marquinhos Injury

The Spanish coach also offered an update on Marquinhos who experienced a knock of late:

"Marquinhos felt something strange at the end of our match in marseille (in what was) the last action. We don’t want to risk anything with him. You know, after such a long match it’s normal. He is our captain and it’s a shame, but we are trained.”

On Multiple PSG Injuries

And discussing the squad’s struggles, Enrique simply reiterated:

‘Injuries are part of the game, especially up here. I am not afraid and I want to make this clear both to my players and our fans. We have really good academy players and everything is build up by the club.”

Ousmane Dembélé and the Dream of the Ballon d’Or

Responding to a question about Ousmane Dembélé and the Ballon d’Or, Enrique said:

“We have been voted the best team of the year, which is based on what we did last season. It is great to have Dembélé at this level. I’d still like to think that one day he could win the Ballon d’Or and celebrate with our fans.”

Mentality and Team Development

Enrique emphasized the value of developing outside of results:

"Here at staff, we always aim for improvement. We evaluate positives and negatives, we keep ourselves in question and the players have taken it on board. “Their confidence and how they’re playing to their potential is a huge plus.

Focus on PSG Academy Players

The coach rounded off with a compliment to the PSG youth academy:

“It’s brilliant to have the young lads come into the first-team dressing room. They have production and physical traits to deliver. We are always thinking of academy players because we need them for these clubs."