Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique dismissed any ideas of dressing room disharmony because the reigning European champions ready to place their continental title on the road this midweek towards home rivals Monaco.
PSG are struggling to rediscover the sensible type they confirmed within the second half of final season, after they performed breath-taking soccer on the way in which to successful the Champions League for the primary time of their historical past.
The membership from the French capital have been knocked off the highest of the Ligue 1 desk on the weekend after a 3-1 defeat away to Rennes allowed Lens to climb above them.
That got here after a begin to 2026 which had already seen them exit of the French Cup to native rivals Paris FC and end eleventh within the league section of the Champions League. Theirfailure to win any of their final three European video games left them dealing with this play-off for a spot within the final 16.
After the defeat in Rennes, final yr’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele had a go at his colleagues as he recommended too many had stopped taking part in for the collective.
“We have to play for Paris Saint-Germain if we’re going to win matches, as a result of if all of us simply play for ourselves it gained’t work and we gained’t win the trophies we need to win,” Dembele mentioned in a post-match TV interview.
“Final season we put the membership first earlier than serious about ourselves, so I feel we have to begin considering like that once more.”
Luis Enrique was requested about these feedback after arriving in Monaco on Monday, on the eve of the Champions League play-off first leg towards the principality facet.
“There may be at all times noise round PSG and we simply have to simply accept it,” mentioned the Spaniard, who mentioned the defeat in Rennes was “merciless” on his facet.
“It’s true that we might have preferred to return into this sport with a victory however now it’s time for the Champions League and we’re all motivated.”
PSG are sturdy favourites to beat a Monaco facet who sit eighth in Ligue 1, 20 factors behind their opponents.
Nevertheless, Monaco have discovered some type once more just lately after a poor run, and so they beat PSG 1-0 when the groups final clashed, on the Stade Louis II in late November.
“We have to imagine we are able to get a outcome, in any other case there is no such thing as a level taking part in the sport,” insisted Monaco coach Sebastien Pocognoli, who has a doubt over the health of French worldwide midfielder Maghnes Akliouche.
“If we aren’t at one hundred pc and don’t play the right sport, will probably be troublesome for us,” added Monaco skipper Denis Zakaria.
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