Luis Enrique: “Facing OL is an extra motivation”
Men's football•
The Paris Saint-Germain coach spoke at a press conference on Saturday 24 October 2026, ahead of the Ligue 1 Matchday 8 fixture between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais.
“Unfortunately, we already suspected after the game how serious the injury was. Our thoughts are with the player and what he’s going to go through, it’s difficult. But ultimately, you have to stay positive and remember that if you want to play at the highest level for 10 to 15 years, you’re going to suffer injuries, that’s the life of a professional footballer. Kvara is a fighter, you have to try and look for the positives, and there will be some, once he’s overcome this injury. He has been, is and will continue to be a very important player for us. We’ll stand by him and be attentive to his needs. He’ll come back even stronger, I have no doubt about that.”
"No injury means that we absolutely must sign a new player. Since the start of the season, I’ve always said that we could cope with any injuries. Of course, we always keep a close eye on every transfer window, that’s one of our responsibilities. But it’s never because of an injury."
“We’re a team, and a family too, because we spend so much time together and share so many moments. And the important moments are when things get tough, especially when several players are injured. We have to accept things as they are. We’re the same team with or without injuries, because we all share the same mindset.”
“That’s what we showed against Barcelona: we played the final stages of the game without our captain Marquinhos and without Kvara, who is a key player. We were also without the current Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembélé, for almost the entire match. And yet, we showed that we play the same way. That’s our strength.”
“He’s playing a lot, we have a lot of faith in him. He’s ready, he’s a young player but already has experience. I think he’ll improve on last season’s form. It’s not easy to join such a successful team, but I’m pleased with what I’ve seen. I feel he’s becoming more and more at ease every time he plays, he’s a very interesting player. I’m very pleased to have him in the squad.”
“I’m staying focused on the match. If it’s better for us to play on Monday given the current situation, then we’ll accept that without any problem. You have to be ready, we have no issue with playing next Monday. As for the Ballon d’Or, we’ve shown what sort of team we are, and we have plenty of players who are in with a chance of winning it. We’ll see how it turns out, but whatever happens, it won’t change what we’re aiming for as a team.”
“It’s a motivation to take on Paulo Fonseca’s Olympique Lyonnais. We remember what they did last season, when they won at the Parc des Princes playing very well. It’s up to us to show that we’re ready for every game and to demonstrate our form. It’s an extra motivation to play against this Olympique Lyonnais side.”
“We’ve shown we can improve our results in the league. Three or four weeks ago, we were still a long way behind the top team in the table. And now, we have the chance to go top. It’s important for us to be as high up the table as possible.”
“It’s important to appreciate how lucky we are every day. The club and the Foundation are always looking to support causes, taking responsibility for a wide range of issues. As a coach and as a team, we aim to help these people and share in their suffering. It’s easy to say, but we try to put this into practice through our actions. It’s very positive and we’re pleased to be able to do this.”