PSG face Aston Villa this Wednesday at 21 p.m. in the UEFA Super Cup with a very limited preparation time for part of their squad. On the eve of the match, Luis Enrique explained that several international players only rejoined the group on Monday. "It's a surreal situation, I didn't have any players until Monday... for the internationals ," the Parisian coach stated.
Only a few days of training for some players
Luis Enrique explained that PSG had resumed training gradually and that not all of his players had followed the same preparation. " I rested almost all summer, we're fresh again, happy to be back. We've had two and a half weeks of training and we're getting the players back little by little ," he stated. For several international players, the return therefore took place just a few days before the European Super Cup. "In terms of preparation, it's complicated to manage with the number of minutes each player is playing. We'll try to be at our maximum level, but it's difficult ," Luis Enrique acknowledged.
"It's very difficult to know what level this match will be at."
The PSG coach also explained that his team wasn't aiming to reach peak form at the start of the season. "We're preparing intelligently to be at our best at the end of the season, not the beginning," he clarified. However, the schedule forces Paris to immediately play a match for a trophy. "We accept it, we're preparing in the best possible way, but it's very difficult to know what level this match will be like. It's very important for us to project a good image, but in terms of preparation, there's nothing there ," Luis Enrique continued.
PSG still wants to win
Despite this unusual preparation, Luis Enrique confirmed PSG's ambitions for the season. When asked about the possibility of winning another Champions League title, he replied: "Of course! We've had very ambitious goals from the start, and we're continuing like this." The Spaniard, however, emphasized that another European success must be achieved on the pitch : "Everyone thinks we can win again. That's the theory. We have to show it on the field. If you look at history, it's difficult to have a team that wins all the time, but we're aiming to be there, with that kind of team."
Luis Enrique is satisfied with his players' motivation
The Parisian coach expressed no concerns about his team's commitment : "I am very lucky because I have a superb team with players who are always motivated. They don't need any more motivation; they live for what they do. They try to be better every day."
Aston Villa difficult to analyze before the match
Luis Enrique also spoke about Aston Villa, whose level he believes is difficult to accurately assess after their preseason : "It's difficult to analyze exactly what type of team they will play based on their preseason. They have undergone changes. We'll see on Wednesday what kind of match these two teams can play."
PSG will therefore play their first official match of the season on Wednesday at 21 p.m. with several players having only recently returned to training. Luis Enrique will have to manage playing time while also trying to immediately win another European trophy.
