Luis Enrique: 'Lille are one of the best teams in the league'
The Paris Saint-Germain coach gave his thoughts to PSG TV ahead of the weekend's Ligue 1 game with Lille.
THE FIXTURE LIST
"It's a time in the season when we have to play every three days, so we have to plan the different options available to the staff. The game against Brest in the Coupe de France was important, and tomorrow's game against Lille in the league is too, and then the Champions League one...We have to be competitive to be able to win all these games."
Lille
"This run of games also means playing the best teams in Ligue 1. I love the Lille coach, his ideas on how to play, the way his team attacks and defends. They're one of the best teams in the league. It'll be difficult, but it's a good test for us. I really want to see my team tomorrow against Lille."
Nuno Mendes
"Nuno is getting close to his goal. He's training with us intermittently, he's doing some exercises with the squad without doing the whole session. He's playing well, it's good news for him and the team."
THE Achraf Hakimi/Ousmane Dembélé CONNECTION
"When you're a coach, it's important to see the different synergies between players. Since my arrival, the right flank has worked very well and I think the left side is getting up to that level. Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi and Warren Zaïre-Emery are those who have played most on the right, and what they have done is marvellous. You just have to see the games to understand there is a real connection between them."
PARIS' STYLE OF PLAY
"When you see us playing deeper, it's because our opponent is good. But the aim is not to defend deep. But our opponents are also playing and they sometimes force us to defend deep, to be compact, and then go as quickly as possible towards their goal. What is clear is that what you have seen in the last six months really represents my style of play."
Bradley Barcola
"When you recruit a young player, you do it because you like his qualities and his performances. But the X-factor is to know how long he'll need to adapt to an even bigger club. It's always something you cannot know, regardless of the player's age, even if there are of course more uncertainties around a young player. For Bradley, we're delighted he's adapted so quickly and that he's playing at this level, but he has to keep performing even better and improving both in attack and defence."
Lucas beraldo
"Lucas arrived in January during a transfer window that is usually difficult, He has adapted superbly, and it's almost a surprise to see him adapt so quickly. He can play just as well in the middle as on the left. What is important is that he can play in these two positions to build confidence. He's a very good player for us."