The Parisian coach takes stock after the draw against FC Nantes, Saturday, at the Parc des Princes, during the 13th day of L1.
The match against Nantes and his annoyance at the end of the game : “I think I was as usual at the edge of the pitch but I wanted to let off some steam for a second… For the rest, we played a complete match in everything that concerns the control of the game and the creation of ‘goal chances, the defense, but again football rewards the team that scores, not the one that creates chances, and in that sense it’s frustrating for the players, me and everyone, but it doesn’t There’s only one option, insist, insist, insist, insist, insist, insist until the end.”
Ousmane Dembélé and Warren Zaire-Emery on the bench : “If this is related to what I was saying, the lessons learned after the defeats in Munich? No, but it’s a message that I always like to deliver, I do it directly to my players, not every day but when I deem it appropriate, but it’s also a message for our supporters, why certain players play , others not. Important matches and those at the end of which the result is not positive provide a lot of lessons, much more than victories. Afterwards, I have no complaints to make to my players but I want them to progress, to rebel. Those who haven’t played or haven’t warmed up today, tomorrow, when it’s their turn to practice, I want them to be at full strength and leave thinking they’re going to take the place of the one who played. I want the one who scores goals to think about scoring more, that the one who defends gives the maximum. It’s my obsession as a coach.”
What was missing to score the second goal : “If the players are blunt? No. I think that when we prepare for a match, we tell ourselves that it will take five or six chances to score. In this case, we created more than five clear chances in the first half, two or three after the break. Nantes had two shots on goal and scored once… What’s missing? A little more confidence, clarity, precision, faith. There are many factors that can influence a person to gain confidence and generate what is necessary to score goals but I repeat, we will continue.
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Until I consider that there is one goalkeeper who is above the others, I want them all to be ready.
Luis Enrique
Gigio Donnarumma titular : “I have three very good goalkeepers, they have to get used to being ready to give their best version. I think all three can still give their best version. We haven’t seen Arnau (Tenas, who hasn’t played in 2024-25) yet, but I want them to be 100% and ready, like the other players. It doesn’t surprise anyone when you change a winger. For the goalkeepers, as long as I don’t consider that there is one who is above the others, I want them all to be ready..
His words to the players after the match : “None, I never speak to players at the end of matches, I never have and that’s what I recommend to all coaches at all levels. If you won, everyone is happy and you don’t have to do anything. If they lose, they are angry, so are you, and disaster can happen. At the end of the game, you have to stay in your corner, let the players breathe and then, watching the match on Tuesday, we will analyze everything and give the messages that need to be transmitted.
Defensive ineffectiveness : “It’s inexplicable… We have the best stats in my coaching career in terms of chances created and conceded. It’s inexplicable. We tell ourselves that at some point things will change, and it will change, that’s for sure, because it’s impossible to continue such a negative dynamic. However, the team is quality, the players have a lot of quality. It will change in the medium or long term, that’s for sure, but this is inexplicable.”
Harder against a low block or a team that presses high : “Last year, Nantes had a very good match against us, we were less good than this time, we created a lot fewer chances, but we won 2-1 with a goal in the 80th. We did our homework, we took the exam but the grade is not good enough. Low block or high pressing, both are difficult. But I think we weren’t precise enough.”
Return of Gonçalo Ramos : “I’ve been asked so many times about the wrong 9, now there’s a 9 and what happened, eh, the solution was 9? Just kidding, it’s a joke, but the solution doesn’t come from just one player. It’s a team sport. As for Gonçalo, he played his first minutes as a starter (since the first day of L1 and his ankle injury), his first full match, that’s good news. He is a surface player who generates many chances, who makes very good movements, which give us continuity, a very interesting player for us and I am happy with his contribution throughout the match..
If he thought about the idea of putting Achraf Hakimi a notch higher : “Unless I put him with the Ultras, I can’t put him any higher. He plays between the lines, winger or attacker when we have the ball. He is only behind when Donnarumma has the ball, and even then, he sometimes defends high. We know its ability to go into space and reach the surface..
Comments collected at a press conference
