“Not yet. There are matches, like the one against Nice, when you know things aren’t going to go your way. We created several chances without being able to put them away. From that point onwards, you have to know how to settle for a draw, even if that’s not the result you wanted to start with. The important thing was to stay undefeated at home. It’s our first loss at home this season. I just hope time takes the pain away. We’re back to work. I hope we can bounce back against Brag and then in the Clasico.” PSG concedes a lot of goals towards the end of matches. How can you explain that?
“There are lots of explanations. Fatigue, lapse in concentration, the desire deep inside that means you refuse to lose... But also the desire to get the win at all costs, that desire to get forward which leaves us a little less focused on the defensive duties. There are a lot of reasons. These are things that need improving and we see today just what they are costing us. We’re working and hopefully we’ll fix these problems in future matches.”
PSG hosts Braga and then travels to Marseille. Are you already thinking about the Clasico or are you concentrating on the Braga friendly?
“The match against Braga should be good because we’ll be back at the Parc. It’s also a good chance for certain players to get some pitch time. We hope to give Papus Camara a run. There will be a lot to learn from the Braga game. Then we’ll start preparing for Marseille.” OM are coming off an incredible game against Lyon. What do you think about that squad?
“I was a very attentive viewer because they’re our next opponents. I tried to put myself in the place of coach. I’d have been happy they’d scored five goals, but disappointed that they’d conceded five, including three in the last ten minutes. We have to be ready for a team that might be doubting a little. But they will be playing at home, in front of their fans and looking for a big result.” Will Claude Makelele’s absence, suspended, be a big blow?
“It’s a handicap. Claude is very important in preparing a match and on the pitch. He often makes the right choices and his experience is precious for a big game like this. I’ll still be fielding the best available side and trying to get a positive result.” Reserve your ticket for PSG-Braga >>>
