PSG v Paris FC: Gilli warns, "They wear you down…"

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·2. Januar 2026

PSG v Paris FC: Gilli warns, "They wear you down…"

This Sunday at 8:45 pm (broadcast on Ligue1+) Paris Saint-Germain (2nd) will face Paris FC (14th) at the Parc des Princes as part of the 17th matchday of Ligue 1 2025-2026. In a press conference, Stéphane Gilli, coach of PFC, spoke about this match and their opponent. He highlighted the qualities of the team coached by Luis Enrique, while reminding that his players must approach this match with the desire to achieve something.

Gilli: "We’re not going there as sacrificial victims."

"The team will be different but not weakened. It’s not a headache, but we have to think carefully to find the best formula to face this PSG team. We’ve worked on some things and we’ll try to field the most competitive team possible. We know that PSG is the best team in Europe and certainly in the world, with a coach who has built a strong collective over the past two and a half years. But when you have the ambition to be in Ligue 1, it’s also to play matches like this. Today, we’re not in the same league, but we’ll do our best to give a good image of Paris FC. We’re not going there as sacrificial victims. This derby is great for Paris and French football. But I don’t want my players to be inhibited by the pressure of facing PSG; they need to enjoy themselves and play our chances to the fullest."

Gilli: "If we manage to get out of their counter-pressing."

They wear you down, they wear you down... Their counter-pressing is very important. But if we manage to get out of this counter-pressing, it could be interesting. We’ll need to be focused and rigorous for 95 minutes, because the slightest lapse in attention or technical mistake can be costly. At the start of the season, we may have overperformed, and in the last few matches, we’ve underperformed. We need to be able to restore the balance. Last year, we weren’t doing very well at this time of year either, but we bounced back to get promoted."

As has often been the case in recent months, there is a certain admiration for a PSG team that is particularly difficult to face. It’s a big challenge for Paris FC, with a special flavor since it’s a derby. There’s also the fact of being a newly promoted team with a long-term project, facing the reigning European champion. Enough to be "impressed," but it’s precisely that feeling they need to fight against.

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Stéphane Gilli’s players will have to go into this match with a real desire to achieve great things, maybe even pull off a major upset. They’ll need to use their strengths and be fully aware that there will be major difficulties. Solidarity will be necessary, as will a great performance.

PSG often forces you to make as few mistakes as possible, or even to be in top form. But they’re not perfect, and there are certainly aspects to exploit. The focus should be on this, and hope for a slight dip in form to have a better chance of taking advantage of any weaknesses. But there’s no point in giving up.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.