Christophe Galtier: 'Maccabi Haifa are opponents of real quality'

fabian ruiz's RISE TO FORM 

"Fabian Ruiz had a difficult pre-season given that he was in the process of leaving. He was separated from the squad while he waited for his transfer to be finalised. He arrived a bit short physically, technically and tactically. We needed to be patient, we had spoken about it a lot with Luis Campos and Fabian. All players need time to adapt. But there was an expectation surrounding his arrival. He is a player that we had identified a very long time ago when he was at Napoli. He has worked like a true professional, he took part in the sessions, he left a lot later than the others. Even though his initial appearances didn't show the level that everyone expected, he had the confidence of his coaching staff and teammates that he was going to raise his game."

THE TACTICAL FLEXIBILITY OF THE TEAM 

"We changed system in the last two matches for different reasons: the absences of certain players, but a reflection also on how to be more dangerous and win the ball back as quickly as possible to be as close as possible to the opponent's goal. We played 2 matches like that. But whatever way we organise ourselves, you always need to run a lot. Even if we need to play in another set-up tomorrow, we need everyone to put in the effort, and to find the right balance."

AN ATTACKING TRIO IN THE BEST CONDITION 

"Don't think that we have radically abandoned the system with three centre backs. I think it's a real advantage to have two systems. The first set-up worked very well for a while, and recently it clicked too. I was also considering how to use the quality within my squad. I worked a lot on that, observing certain teams and I asked my coaching staff to think so that we can get the most out of the players in the squad, but also to put them in the best possible conditions to perform. In terms of the different systems that we were faced with, I said to myself that it was the time to do something different. But it's true that there is a thought process around the best way to set up our trio. We have three world-class players. They need to perform, and therefore need to be happy. And to be happy, they need to be in their best position."

An optimised midfield 

"I have quality midfielders at my disposal. I needed to wait for Fabian and others to get up to speed to be able to begin to work on the ideas I was having. Fabian plays in a preferred area, that's where he performs best. It's a specific player needed for this set-up."

renato sanches' Integration

"Renato is a player that we wanted to have. We know his strengths. Unfortunately, he has had lots of little physical issues which have led to time out and a short pre-season. He lost out on time compared to his teammates. It was important that he was able to start against Ajaccio. I know, having worked with him, that he is a player with real ability. When he will be at his best, he will be at the same level as his teammates. He has my full confidence. We need to give the players time to adapt."

THE OPPOSITION

"As soon as we saw the draw, we worked a lot on our opponents. Including Maccabi Haifa, who we rarely see play. They are a very well-organised side, with a lively and alert style, very technical players, and a coach who looks to play very intense, very attacking football. It's not by chance that we were forced to opt for a specific set-up in the first match against them. We then saw all of their quality. From the analysis that we have conducted, there are very dangerous players, like Chery, who is very strong technically, and Atzili, who breaks the lines and is very adept in front of goal."

A VERY BUSY FIXTURE LIST  

"Competition leads to injuries. Every international could be going off to play in the World Cup. We need to play matches unrestrainedly, and most importantly, prepare and recover well before and after the games. I will do what I can to be able to manage the squad so that everyone is happy. Paris Saint-Germain is a priority. If I can lighten the schedule for some players thanks to our performances, of course, I will do so."