Match Preview
Luis Enrique dismissed the notion that there are doubts about his Paris Saint-Germain side heading into Friday’s Ligue 1 match with Lille, despite PSG suffering a surprise Coupe de France elimination at the hands of neighbours Paris FC.
PSG’s hopes of a second successive treble were ended by the team that plays their football across the road from the Parc des Princes, with Jonathan Ikone scoring against his former club to send Paris FC into the last eight.
Out of the cup and a point behind leaders Lens in Ligue 1, Luis Enrique’s men are not enjoying their typical level of domestic dominance.
But the Spaniard does not believe his side have anything to prove against fourth-placed Lille.
“I think not. If there are doubts about our team, we might as well let it go! I can accept doubts but I don’t understand them,” he told a pre-match press conference.
“What’s the problem? Do you think we will win all the trophies every season? Football doesn’t work like that.
“We must value what we have done, the trophies won. We are playing against a great team this Friday. We play more or less well, it depends on the games but we have to show that we are the same team as last season.”
Lille have not beaten PSG in the league since 2021, but Luis Enrique remains wary of the challenge posed by a team that have already held his side to a draw and defeated Marseille so far this season.
“Lille is a very good team,” he added.
“We had difficulties against them every time. It will be difficult. We have to win the game to improve our position in the standings.”
A win would send Les Parisiens at least temporarily top of the table. Lens face second-bottom Auxerre on Saturday.
Team news for PSG v Lille
Lee Kang-in is a doubt for the hosts with a thigh strain, while Quentin Ndjantou has a hamstring issue.
Goalkeeper Matvey Safonov is set to miss out with a hand injury, and Achraf Hakimi and Ibrahim Mbaye remain at the Africa Cup of Nations, where they will face each other in Sunday’s final between Morocco and Senegal.