Luis Enrique remains deaf to criticism after Newcastle-PSG: “I’m not here to please people”

The defeat at Newcastle (4-1) on Wednesday in the Champions League: “We did what we always do after matches, we analyzed the match in depth, the mistakes, what we can improve. The result does not reflect the gap between the two teams. Mistakes cost us goals. Newcastle were very efficient, not us. This is an atypical result. I've lost by a big margin during my career, and when that happened, it was because the other team was much stronger. That wasn't the case at all on Wednesday... It would be simpler to say that it was the case but I'm not here to please people. I'm not going to say it. It was a strange game against Newcastle. After the match, I said that I liked the way we played. After analyzing it too, and I can say that I liked the attitude, the character of the team. There are still things to improve. Newcastle's victory is deserved, but not at all with this gap.

Staff errors… or not: “Do you know how long I have been operating as a coach at the highest level? A lot… I always try to help the players, the team. If there are mistakes, they are for everyone. Often, very often even, it is the coach who commits them. Sometimes it's the players. That’s what a team is: knowing how to adapt and improve. My job as a coach is to look for the best way to play for PSG. Not only a way of playing that would be attractive, but also one that allows you to obtain results. I know the rules of the game. Football is a game of mistakes, whether we are at home or away, the referees, the Var… We all make mistakes. I have full confidence in what I see at the club, the players, the staff. I am convinced that it will work well and that I will go home happy tomorrow after the match.

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Ousmane Dembélé: “The problem that you journalists have, whether here or elsewhere, is that you are interested in very positive or very negative scenarios, except that everything is not black or white, there has gray. I am very happy with his performance. His stats will improve, I have no doubt about that. But I'm not worried and I don't think we should put pressure on the players. That’s why I’m here and why the team is here. In any case, it is always the coach who is primarily responsible when things go well. When you lose with four attackers, it's the coach's fault, but when you win with four attackers, it's normal. These are the rules of the game, I accept that. But my real goal is to have 11 attackers and 11 defenders. I think I'm on the right path. Aligned in 10? For him to play as number 10, we would have to change the system. Depending on the position of the ball, you can position yourself differently. With us, he can play on the sides but also go inside. He can provide support. He is a very complete player, an ideal player for a coach like me who wants to have possession. It creates imbalances. He played well at Newcastle. He could provide goals and assists but I am very happy with his performances and his attitude.

The Luis Enrique touch and the idea of ​​adapting to his squad: “There are both aspects. I have a lot of experience and I know that the most important thing is to get the most out of my players' potential, so that we see their qualities and not their faults. I have an idea for a game. You have to be able to dominate and be superior to your opponent, to win titles. It’s an ambitious goal, I’m not afraid to say it. If we succeed, it will be wonderful, if not, I will be the designated culprit, I know the rules.

The plan against Rennes: “We always make adjustments but we work in the same way, with the idea of ​​being superior to the opponent. It means having possession. Afterwards, there are always nuances depending on the characteristics of the other team, what they do well or badly, the spaces they occupy, where they attack, where they defend… We work on all this, we talk about it . With the staff, we like to give information to the players before and during the match.

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Rennes: “They are one of the best teams in the championship, they historically do well against PSG, especially in Rennes. It will be a complicated match. We will have possession but it is a team that knows how to fall back in defense. They can also rush us. You have to be ready for all situations. The score will also condition their attitude. In attack, they do not lose the ball. We will have to defend well, press them well. Otherwise, they have very interesting mechanics in attack, with players in support or in space. They are very high level players on an individual level. Some were also rested during the European Cup match (defeat against Villarreal on Thursday, Editor's note). It will be another interesting match in the construction of our team. I can’t wait to be at the game.”

Matches in South America during the 2030 World Cup: “For the players and national teams, these trips are not necessarily good in terms of recovery, but it is still something beautiful. As a Spaniard, I am very happy to have the World Cup in my country, part of it anyway, with Portugal and Morocco. It’s very positive.”

Comments collected at a press conference