Following a disappointing draw in Lorient, Paris Saint-Germain hosts Nice this Saturday in Ligue 1, billed as a dress rehearsal before the European showdown with Bayern Munich. Luis Enrique motivates his players by comparing the Eagles to the Bavarians and invoking a revenge spirit. Despite injuries, PSG remains top but seeks greater consistency.
Paris Saint-Germain enters this fixture with doubts after a 'bad match' in Lorient (1-1) on Wednesday, as described by Luis Enrique. The Spanish coach stresses the next opponent's importance: 'Only the next match counts,' though he anticipates the clash against Bayern on Tuesday in the Champions League (9 p.m., fourth matchday).
To motivate his team, Luis Enrique compares Nice to Bayern: 'There are things that Nice does like Bayern.' The Niçois, coached by Franck Haise, are in top form with three consecutive league wins and a favorable record at Parc des Princes, where they won their last two Ligue 1 matches (3-1 last season, 3-2 the one before). 'Against Nice, it was catastrophic last season (a draw and a loss). It's a motivation, yes. It's not normal, we're not used to that kind of result at home,' hammers the Spaniard.
PSG faces injuries, particularly to Désiré Doué, out for several weeks after his issue in Lorient. Luis Enrique remains philosophical: 'All players must accept that as part of normal things.' He is open to rest for some, like Achraf Hakimi: 'If a player needs rest, no problem.' The squad is nearly complete for this 5 p.m. match on beIN SPORTS.
Leading Ligue 1 and the Champions League league phase, PSG has nonetheless drawn three times (Lille, Strasbourg, Lorient) and lost once (to OM) in the league. 'We're top of the table, don't forget that, but we can obviously improve our performance,' tempers Luis Enrique. Against a Bayern unbeaten in 14 matches across all competitions, a win over Nice would be ideal preparation for this European summit.