Luis Enrique: "This is always a hotly anticipated game"
Men's football•
The Paris Saint-Germain manager spoke to the press today ahead of his side's trip to Marseille on Sunday (Matchday 5 of Ligue 1) for the first Classique of the season.
"We got our first league win of the season, and it was away from home, too. We perhaps didn't play as well as we did in our other games, but we still put in a decent performance. Brest are a good team, and they'll get some good results this season, so we're happy to have got that first win."
"Our start to this season has been a peculiar one as we're used to playing every three days. I want to see my players on the pitch, but when we only have one game per week, we need to strike a balance between resting and working. The pace will pick up again for us after the international break, though."
"Le Classique is a different kind of game. We're hoping to get the three points, but we also want to play our way, to make our fans happy and to be connected to each other. No Paris Saint-Germain player will ever be relaxed before Le Classique. We know how important this game is for the players and for the fans, so we'll be highly motivated while trying to control our emotions."
"They've changed their manager, and a lot of their players have left, so we'll need to be ready for any situation on Sunday. What's for sure is that the atmosphere will be electric and that the match will be a tough one; this is always a hotly anticipated game. Our aim is to get the three points."
"We're talking about different, special games. We're used to playing in this kind of game, with a special atmosphere. We're not focusing on what's happened before; we just want to get the three points, even though it won't be easy."
"He's an incredible player, and it's a real joy to have someone with his mentality. He's often started games this season, and I'm happy with what I've seen of him. He shows his quality every day and is a player who can make the difference."
"We need to accept how long this break is. We'll try to carry on as normal; some of our players will stay here and work on their own. We'll prepare for our next few games, and when our internationals come back, we'll need to adapt – as we always do – to what will be a busy schedule.
"There are no favourites in football and certainly not in Le Classique. This game is really important to us, and we want not only to get the three points given our start to the league season but also to improve. We're staying focused on what matters to us."
