Rennes/PSG – Luis Enrique on signings, prep and 'we're football's future' | OneFootball

Sunday, during the first matchday of Ligue 1 2026-2027, Paris Saint-Germain will face Rennes at Roazhon Park (kick-off at 8:45 p.m., broadcast on Ligue1+). On the eve of this match, Paris coach Luis Enrique answered several questions at a press conference.

Luis Enrique: “The most important thing is not the language, it’s the quality of the player.”

The match in Rennes is not at the Parc des Princes, how do you adapt?

As usual. For us, it changes nothing in the preparation. We always prepare to do the same thing, whether at home or away. We always want to be as competitive as possible. It does not change the scenario. Even if the stadium is different.

Why was it important to recruit a player like Akliouche, who is attached to the Paris region?

That’s not the first thing to highlight. But clearly, if you recruit a French player, it is easier to integrate him. It is the first language in the dressing room. It is common to have several languages. But the most important thing is not the language, it is the quality of the player, physically and technically. We have done a very good job in recent years and we are still thinking about improving the team.

What changes when playing with Digne or Hernandez rather than Mendes, who is suspended?

They are different players, even though they are all top-level. Nuno has the ability to attack and defend at a very high level, and the two Lucases do too, with different characteristics. I am happy to have options.

You are starting the season with 4 away matches?

You have to adapt to the circumstances and the schedule. I would like to have another option, but that is how it is. We have to adapt to things we cannot control. We take it as a challenge to perform again.

Luis Enrique: “The level will be higher than last year. There will be players left out of the matchday squad and it will be unfair.”

Do you have the guarantee of a good pitch soon?

We like attacking and attractive football, so we need the best pitch possible. That is generally the case at the Parc des Princes.

Could both matches be played in Rennes?

I do not know the rules, but there are principles. When you start a competition, there must be equality for all teams. That is not the case if both matches are in the same stadium. There must be one away match and the other at home.

At what level is your team compared to your expectations?

I do not know, it is difficult to say after the first league match. But what I can say from training this week is that the level will be higher than last year. There will be players left out of the matchday squad and it will be unfair. But that is how it is, we want to be more competitive, to be ready for injuries. It is a requirement for the players. The intensity has improved during the week.

Luis Enrique: “You have to know how to handle difficulties, provocations. The challenge is to improve even more.”

What do you want to change in the way the team plays? What is the challenge?

For me, we can change everything. We want to improve training, every exercise, every session, our attacking and defensive behavior. We are very motivating for the opponent, we have won trophies. We have the ambition to win again, so we have to improve, to pay attention to what we can do. You have to know how to handle difficulties, provocations. The challenge is to improve even more.

What does Mika Godts bring? Is the transfer window over in terms of arrivals?

It is never over, we are open to possibilities until the last day. We have signed some very good options to have even more possibilities, to keep trying to win. That is what motivates us. I am very happy with what we have done.

Is Mendes’ suspension harsh?

It is not important, it happened. We have to know there will be provocations and we must know how to handle that differently.

Luis Enrique: “The players need to feel that it will be difficult to always be starters”

Where does João Neves stand?

He is ready. He had a small problem, we did not take any risks.

What do your new signings bring, beyond the psychological freshness, to improve the game? Does it also create problems?

It is always complicated when you think about signing players who can help the team. A huge number of players want to join PSG, but it is difficult to find those who improve the team. When you sign a player, he comes from a different team. In this environment, the player’s level can be different, there can be a surprise. You have to see how much time is needed to adapt.

I am very happy. Mika Godts is a very high-level attacker, he is only 21, he can play anywhere, he has the mentality, you can see his ambition when you talk with him. It is important to know that a player who comes here knows he is joining the two-time European champion and that he has the ambition to play. It is easier to change when you lose, but you also have to know how to change when you win. The players need to feel that it will be difficult to always be starters. We want to motivate them to play.

Luis Enrique: “We always remain open to what we can do and improve.”

Is adaptation something you work on or is it natural?

I do not know, it depends on many things. I had adaptations in my career and it can come down to luck. We want players to adapt as quickly as possible, but it is not that easy. We have to be attentive and help players who take more time.

Are you interested in the evolution of football? Do you use AI? Can you change your vision?

The evolution of football is us, clearly. We try to make the most of what we want, to perform no matter the opponent or what they do. If there is space, we want to take advantage of it; if not, we still want to perform. We always try to have information, anything that can improve the team. It is exciting. There are many options, the difficulty is finding what is really important. We always remain open to what we can do and improve. You have to be brave to change.

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