“That's always the goal, right from day one. It’s our favourite position! Getting off to a start like this is of course a good thing. We’re now on matchday 9 and it’s only just the beginning. It puts pressure on us, but it also motivates us to keep winning and stay top of the table. Now’s the time to carry on doing what we’re doing, and we need to make the most of it. The team spirit against Lyon? It’s very important for the team – and for the players individually – that those who were on the bench score goals and provide assists. It shows who we are and what our DNA is all about. It’s important for us and for the supporters.”
“Every time we’ve been there or faced teams considered to be weaker, we’ve had problems. Even though we’re top of the table and they’re bottom, there will be difficult moments to manage during the match. It’s a test and a challenge for us. We have to continue to find sources of motivation to perform well. It’s never easy to go and play at Le Havre. They cause problems with their centre-forward and their wingers. They’re one of the teams in Ligue 1 that put in the most crosses. We have to show that we’re ready to overcome all that.”
“It’s simple: when he arrived, he faced the challenge of performing well at a top-flight club. He’s done everything right. He’s a perfect fit for what we’re looking for and for modern football. He plays a key role in the way we defend and in the way he builds play. We’re very pleased with him; he’s always looking to improve and is very courageous. I’m very pleased with the way he plays; he’ll continue to improve.”
“We know him well, so we’re not surprised. It’s a real pleasure to have a player with such technical and physical ability. His level is incredible. We’re very pleased to have a player of his calibre, even though he wasn’t ranked as highly as he deserves to be in the Ballon d’Or rankings.”
“We like to have as much control as possible, and the issue of injuries has been a major focus of our work in recent years. Some players suffer injuries more frequently than others, so it can sometimes be difficult to control. We aim to refine and optimise the training load to minimise the number of injured players. Throughout my coaching career, we’ve always sought to manage this; there have been tough times and better times, but I’m pleased with what we’re trying to achieve. However, it’s always difficult because injuries are part and parcel of top-flight football.”
