Luis Enrique praises Désirée Doyen and reveals stance on Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia

Spanish manager Luis Enrique, head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, praised the technical and mental abilities of his French forward Désirée Doué, confirming his satisfaction with his constant readiness to participate, during the press conference held on Friday before the match against Le Mans in Ligue 1.

Luis Enrique spoke about Désirée Doyé: "Doyé is a machine! He plays wonderful football," adding that the player may have matches where he is not precise enough, like the rest of his teammates, but that does not concern him. He continued: "What matters to me is his ability to be ready at any time, whether he is on the bench or in training. This mentality is hard to possess, and I am very happy that he is always ready."

The Spanish coach spoke about Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who faced questions regarding his need for more time to regain his form, affirming his confidence in the player's abilities. He said: "He has shown his level since arriving here, he is a player of the highest standards, and I am happy to have him with us. Players are not machines, but humans, and it is natural for them to go through periods of ups and downs, and this is not something to worry about."

Luis Enrique praised Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, who received two extra days of rest after the international break, saying: "He has been brilliant, as always. He is a different player, and you can buy a ticket without hesitation to watch him in any stadium. He is always ready to showcase his abilities and connect with his teammates." He explained that the coaching staff deals with each player individually after international breaks, noting the agreement to give Dembélé and Nuno Mendes additional rest in preparation for upcoming matches in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League, emphasizing that this procedure will be repeated throughout the season.

Regarding the team's mental state, the Spanish coach jokingly responded that the question should be directed to Joaquín Valdés, the psychological specialist in the coaching staff, before criticizing the exaggeration in evaluating Paris Saint-Germain's results. He said: "If we win easily, it's because the opponents are not good, but if we start the season with draws and losses against Monaco, we become a catastrophic team and we won't win Ligue 1 or the upcoming UEFA Champions League. You journalists deal with matters excessively, and I always try to achieve balance in what is said about my team."

Luis Enrique confirmed his satisfaction with the level of training, despite the changes that the team’s roster underwent during the summer, explaining that the integration of new players depends on language, personality, and many other factors. He said: "We cannot control how long it takes for players to feel comfortable, but I am very happy with the training sessions, and I believe the level is higher than it was last season. The competitions and the pitch will reveal our true level."

Regarding the match against Le Mans, Paris Saint-Germain's coach stressed the importance of approaching the game with seriousness, confirming that his team needs to prove they have options beyond the usual starting lineup. He said: "We know Le Mans since we faced them in the Coupe de France. The team has shown its level at the beginning of the competitions, and they are a brave team that can play with the ball without any problem. It will be a match where we need to focus more than usual and handle the flow of the game in the best possible way, as there will be no easy matches, especially after the international break."

Luis Enrique has rejected the notion that the current phase is crucial for the season, despite his team's struggles in some matches, insisting that Paris Saint-Germain deserves more points than they have collected so far. He added: "I am the first to criticize my players, but when I analyze all the matches and the chances we created, I believe we deserve better results. Things will balance out over the course of the season, and we will reach the end with the number of points we deserve. We are still at the beginning, and there is no crucial phase now, whether in Ligue 1 or the UEFA Champions League."

The Spanish coach touched on Zinedine Zidane's beginning with the French national team and the possibility of similarities between their football ideas, clarifying that he cannot be certain about that. However, he noticed the French national team's desire to win, maintain possession, press, and play cohesively among the players. He said: "The hardest challenge a national team coach faces is that he does not have the time to work with the players or achieve harmony among them, but the level of players Zidane has called up has been very positive, and the results speak for themselves."

Luis Enrique also praised Belgian Mika Godts, following his performances with his national team, stating that he sees him in good shape and possessing a strong personality, and that he was impressed with what he delivered in international matches. He explained that the player needs calm and time to handle this new phase in the best possible way, without specifying a date for his appearance in the starting lineup.

Paris Saint-Germain's coach revealed he spent the international break working and communicating with sporting director Luis Campos and his coaching staff, noting that preparation for matches does not stop for coaches at a high level. He said: "There are times when you can't sleep because you're busy thinking about what the opponent will do, and this passion is hard to control, at least for me," referring to his preparations for the match against Le Mans and their coach Patryck Vieira.

Luis Enrique concluded his remarks by addressing the word that could summarize the current season of Paris Saint-Germain, after "flexibility" was a prominent theme for the team last season. He stated that it is too early to determine the slogan for the new season. He said: "We started the season differently, and this serves as a motivation for us because it is an interesting challenge. Perhaps we will talk in March about the word that summarizes the season, but we must live through this phase calmly," as the team prepares for a series of important matches against Manchester City, FC Barcelona, and Lyon.