Traoré: ‘A great atmosphere’

Paris Saint-Germain defender Sammy Traoré talks about PSG’s start to the season and Sunday’s visit of Lille to the Parc des Princes.

Sammy, what do you think of PSG’s season so far?
“Very good. But we have another very important match this Sunday against Lille who are playing in Europe. We have to play well. We’re looking forward to it and aren’t counting any chickens just yet. We’re playing at home and will be looking for the win. I saw Lille’s game against Genk on Thursday and they played very well. Les Lillois are struggling a little in the league, but we have to be careful they don’t turn that around against us. They’re looking for points. Last year it was a very tough match and it will be the same this time.”

Will this game show us how far PSG can go this season?
“I don’t think so. We’ve already shown a lot of good things but we’ll only know what we’re worth at the end of the season. We’ve had a good year last year but didn’t win anything. There’s still a long way to go and will draw the conclusions at the end.”

Does PSG deserve to be on the podium?

“It’s just the start of the season! We’re improving with each outing. We’re working very hard in training and the understanding is coming. Tactically, we’re getting better and better. There’s a great atmosphere within the squad and even a defeat won’t change that. We’ll just keep on working.”

How have you judged your start of the season?
“Good. Two games, two wins, but that’s only a personal level. I’m part of the squad and we all want to play and help the team. In any given match, there are always positives and negatives. I think the team is playing well, even though we’ve conceded some silly goals, especially against Le Mans and Montpellier. They’re mistakes we have to eradicate. Against Le Mans, we came from behind. But despite what I’ve read in the press, I don’t the defence is our weak link. We attack with 11 players and we defend with 11 players. When you concede a goal, it’s not just the fault of four or five defenders. The team knows what it has to do. It’s just easier to point the finger at the defence.”