The Parc des Princes lights return on Saturday night, with Paris Saint-Germain attempting to restart their Ligue 1 climb from an unfamiliar sixth place. Luis Enrique’s side host Le Mans at 20:45 after the international break, aware that another domestic stumble would widen the distance to their early-season targets.
Luis Enrique said he does not enjoy lengthy international windows, although he accepts their importance for national-team coaches. During the break, he worked with sporting adviser Luis Campos on preparations for the matches ahead, stressing that a professional coach is never fully disconnected.
Quick facts
- Paris Saint-Germain are sixth in Ligue 1 ahead of Saturday’s home match against Le Mans.
- The fixture at the Parc des Princes kicks off at 20:45.
- Luis Enrique believes PSG have deserved more points from their opening matches.
- Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembélé have been given additional recovery time.
- The coach praised Le Mans boss Patrick Videira and highlighted the visitors’ continuity.
Paris have not collected the points their performances warranted, in Luis Enrique’s view. He said he remains demanding with his players, but his assessment of the matches is that PSG should have a larger total and that results should eventually reflect their level.
“We are far away in the table from where we want to be,” he said. “But over the season it will balance out and we will end up with the points we deserve.”
The Spanish coach expects a difficult evening against a Le Mans team led by Patrick Videira. He recalled their previous Coupe de France meeting and credited Videira for the stability he has built, describing Le Mans as a side capable of playing good football and producing results.
Rotation and recovery remain central
After last season’s repeated talk of resilience, Luis Enrique would not settle on a defining word for the current campaign. He called the situation an exciting challenge but suggested any judgement should wait until much later in the season, after what he termed several months of calm work.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s slower start has not concerned him. The Georgian forward had a longer holiday and a full pre-season, but the PSG coach said players cannot be treated as machines and insisted Kvaratskhelia has already shown his elite level since arriving in Paris.
Dembélé, meanwhile, has again been granted extra rest, alongside Nuno Mendes. Luis Enrique praised Dembélé’s latest international displays, calling him a special player who remains involved with his team-mates and consistently makes himself available.
The decision on rest was made collectively after the international window. Luis Enrique warned that such management will be a regular feature of the season, with certain players needing more recovery time than others.
New faces and international observations
The coach also addressed the challenge of integrating players into a new group. He said adaptation varies according to language and personality, while the wider squad has an important role in making newcomers comfortable.
What has encouraged him is the standard on the training pitch. Luis Enrique said the level in PSG sessions has been higher than it was last season, even if there is no fixed timetable for every player to settle.
Asked about Zinédine Zidane’s start with France, Luis Enrique pointed to early signs of pressing, collective connections and team identity. He said those elements are especially difficult for an international manager to develop because of the limited time available with players.
Mika Godts also received positive words after his Belgium involvement. Though he did not feature at the World Cup, Luis Enrique said the winger displayed the personality and qualities PSG had already seen, adding that calm will be important as he begins a new stage in his career.
