Paris (France) (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said Saturday that his team did not care their Ligue 1 clash with Lyon had been put back, would not be distracted because it now clashes with the Ballon d’Or, and were not deflated by their latest injuries.
Luis Enrique stated that his second-place team had “no issue” with playing league-leading Lyon on Monday at the behest of the Paris police, amid a wave of violent protests in the French capital. Police are also stretched by the first-ever NFL regular season game in France, with Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints at Stade de France in Paris on Sunday.
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“If we play on Monday, it’s better given the current situation. I accept it very cheerfully. You have to keep in mind that Sunday is a special day; there’s an American football game, plus the current situation,” Luis Enrique told a press conference.
Lyon leads PSG on goal difference, but with the first six teams separated by one point, both could be out of the top three by Monday. The game will kick off at 20:30 Paris time (19:30 GMT), a few minutes before the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London concludes with its award to the best men’s player. PSG has a record 10 nominees, led by holder Ousmane Dembele and World Cup winner Fabian Ruiz.
“It doesn’t interest me in the slightest. I remain focused on the match,” said Luis Enrique. “Many of our players could win the Ballon d’Or. We’ll see who takes it home, but it won’t change anything regarding what we are striving for as a team.”
Club sources pointed out that the rescheduling of their game would inevitably affect the Parisian delegation at the award. PSG lost three players to injury in their Champions League win over Barcelona on Wednesday. Dembele and Marquinhos suffered thigh injuries while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia faces knee surgery and a longer absence. The Georgian “will come back stronger” because “he is a warrior,” the coach said.
“It’s hard to stay positive after news like this,” Luis Enrique said. “It’s a risk that comes with being a professional player.” He assured that it will be business as usual. “I don’t want to change anything I’ve been doing, yet at the same time, I want to change everything. That’s what you have to do to remain unpredictable.”
He added that he has no intention of making new signings during the winter transfer window. “We’re not going to ease up. We’re a family. We have two or three players out injured, but that’s part of competition at the highest level.”
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