A clasico… classic. PSG largely dominated its subject this Sunday evening on the lawn of Olympique de Marseille by easily winning against its rival (3-0) during the 9th day of Ligue 1. Although helped by the expulsion of Amine Harit and the Balerdi csc, the capital club produced a complete match which satisfied Luis Enrique.
At a press conference, the Spanish technician appreciated the performance of his men and praised their investment during the entire meeting.
What feeling prevails after your big victory against OM this Sunday evening?
LUIS HENRY. The results are very positive. Winning a clasico by doing it with this authority is very important. We started very well against an opponent who pressed from the start. We won the ball higher, we had chances and we scored the first goal. There was this expulsion and it was then a tougher match for the opponent. It was a situation that could have invited some relaxation but my team continued to work. The second half was quieter, we had several chances, even if we didn’t score. We dedicate this victory to the supporters because we know that it is important for them and for us also in terms of the ranking.
What did you think of Ousmane Dembélé’s match in a more central position than usual?
He is a player capable of interpreting spaces, and today it was possible to find some inside. He was able to generate superiority. Today we had control of the ball, we knew how to attack the depth, I really liked what I saw. It’s a start to the season which seems extremely good to me even if we deserved to win more matches, especially the last one against PSV.
What speech did you give to your players before the meeting?
The most important thing in this type of match is controlling emotions. We always play the same way, there are no calculations on our part. Everything is done according to the position of the opponent, the way in which he is situated. Our goal is always the same: take the ball, keep the ball and get it back as soon as we lose it. It doesn’t always work but the idea is clear and it remains the same.
Why do you emphasize controlling emotions so much?
What we saw was very telling. There is a team that wanted it a lot from the first minute and found the right spaces. We saw a defense that worked very well, quality counter-pressing and general control.
What areas of improvement do you want to work on?
It is possible to improve everything, in attack, in defense. It’s a constant: I’m a non-conformist. I want the passes to be always more precise, for my team to run more, to read more, to score more. I want to improve everything.
What’s the news on Nuno Mendes, who was released early in the match? And what do you think of Joao Neves’ performance?
Nuno Mendes had stomach aches, he warned us when he returned from the locker room and that’s why we took him out early. But he’s fine. I don’t like to talk about individual players but I will say good things about Neves. He had a great match, he’s a great reinforcement when he plays. But I say the same thing about all summer recruits.
Does this type of match help your young squad grow and can it help you in view of the next Champions League matches?
I was very happy with the match against PSV, we deserved to win it. It has nothing to do with youth. Circumstances allow you to gain experience. I have never used age, beauty, ugliness as an excuse. The L1 and the Champions League are two different competitions. I think there are no exceptions in this sense. I have no problem with this reality.
