Christophe Galtier: 'It will be an open game'

the win in Montpellier

We needed to get back to winning because we had a few bad performances. With the way the game was played, we thought everything was going to go wrong. I saw a very good state of mind, with players who stuck to what we had set up. The team performed well: individually there was a lot of effort, and as a team it was interesting.

the game against Toulouse

They are a promoted team that has had a very good start to the league. Since 2023 they have been very successful. I regularly watch their matches because I spent three years there, so I remain attached to TFC and to the city of Toulouse. They are a very dangerous team with a lot of qualities, especially on set-pieces. I think it will be an open game.

the run of games coming up

We must already recover well, not only the players but also the medical teams and the staff. It's important to be clear about our approach and how we will proceed with players' absences. There is no particular pressure, we knew that there would be this succession of matches that generate suspensions and injuries. We are Paris Saint-Germain and our squad is built for that.

Lionel Messi

Leo Messi took charge against Montpellier, as soon as Kylian Mbappé and Sergio Ramos left the field. He was a natural leader and the players got behind him. I congratulated everyone for doing the necessary work to get this win, which was difficult to achieve. Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappé's absence is inevitably a shame as there were many connections between these three players. I now have to organise the team taking into account these combined absences. Leo Messi will continue to play in his own area, always in the area where he likes to play. After that, it will also be up to the players next to him to seize the opportunities that there will be and for everyone to raise their level of play.

the different tactics used 

The way we wanted the team to develop was clear from the beginning of the season. As the season went on, we became more and more readable for our opponents and we suffered in certain systems of play. After the match against Benfica, I wanted to have a different style of play and to make the midfield more compact. Sometimes, the succession of matches also causes absences. I could see that in Ligue 1 and with the players at my disposal, it wasn't possible to play the way I did against Reims.

That's why we switched to a 4-4-2 diamond formation, as we did after the match against Benfica. I try to adapt to the run of matches. What I can tell you is that we won't play a flat 4-4-2, because this system didn't work. The players must be able to get their bearings. The tactical approach will depend on each player's form and the players available. It's not a choice that I make according to the opponent, but according to us.