Paris St Germain boss Luis Enrique has admitted his team’s start to the season has not been good enough as they prepare to host Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League opener on Tuesday.
PSG have won just two of their opening five league games and suffered their first defeat on Friday when they were beaten 3-2 at home by Nice, leaving the reigning champions three points behind leaders Monaco.
Having taken charge in the summer, Enrique admits he is still getting used to his new side so has no cause for concern about developments so far, and promised that improved performances and results will start to come.
He told a press conference: “It is true it hasn’t been a great start, but when I start coaching a club, there is a lot of information I take in, a lot of situations to bear in mind.
“I have a very receptive team that is full of desire to take on new ideas, I am delighted with the conduct of the players and the team. The fans are fantastic, bringing total unconditional support, despite not so good results.
“It is a long process and from my experience I know it takes time. I am not wasting time because I already know how this works. I am very calm here, we will certainly be playing good football and getting good results.”
PSG have been among the favourites to win the Champions League in recent seasons but will be without some notable names this time around, with star forwards Lionel Messi and Neymar having left this summer while experienced midfielder Marco Verratti joined Al-Arabi last week.
The perennial Ligue 1 champions have yet to win the competition but came close in 2020, losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the final. They also reached the semi-final the following year but since then the big-spending French giants have fallen short of expectations with round of 16 exits in successive years.
Enrique still holds hope of bringing the trophy back to Paris but does not want to become obsessed over the idea.
He added: “We will have to see how the competition goes, football is a marvellous sport.
“Any result is possible, and in theory, any team can win. You can play well and lose. You might play badly and win. As a club we are convinced and motivated in every competition we are taking part in.
“The aim is to go as far as possible and try to win all of them. That is the objective of this club, it is ambitious.
“When a person or a team or club is obsessed with something, it is not a good sign. You need to be excited, you have to have hope and ambition. But being obsessed doesn’t work in any part of life.
“So we are excited and motivated. We are full of desire to put on a show for our fans, and we are looking forward to the start of this competition.”
Enrique thinks their defeat to Nice has little to do with their upcoming European encounter with Dortmund, who are unbeaten themselves in the league so far.
Edin Terzic’s men are seventh in the Bundesliga with eight points from four games, sitting two points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen following Saturday’s 4-2 win at Freiburg.
The Spaniard said: “The Nice game has nothing to do with the Dortmund game. They are different games in different competitions.
“There are many areas for improvement and many things of the team are doing well. I think the most important thing is what the fans can see, which is the team’s attitude. We don’t give up.”
Emotional Thiago Silva confirms Chelsea departure but vows to return 'in another role'
Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea at the end of the campaign, but hopes to return down the line in another role.
Silva, who joined Chelsea as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, has made 151 appearances for the club and helped them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
The 39-year-old, however, will not be staying at Stamford Bridge for a fifth campaign.
In an emotional interview with the club's media channels, the Brazilian said: "Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for one year and it ended up being four years.
"Not just for me but for my family, too. My sons play for Chelsea so it's a source of great pride to be a member of the Chelsea family.
"I hope my sons can continue with their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be a part of.
"I think everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all but, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end.
"It's an indescribable love. I can only say thank you."
However, Silva is set on returning to the club once his playing days are over.
He added: "That doesn't mean that this is a definitive end, I have to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.
"Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic, so there weren't any fans in the stadium, but through social media it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back, and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.
"So, it is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances, but when there is a mutual love, it's even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue."
Silva has worked under a variety of managers during his time at Chelsea, including Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard, who brought him to the club.
"The way in which I came here, with the support of the club, I got to be a leader of the club having arrived as the new guy," Silva continued.
"It's always difficult to integrate, but bit by bit, I became part of the group and Lampard played a big part in that, so I am grateful to him for that.
"Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"Goodbyes are for those that leave and don't come back. I intend on coming back one day."
Silva will be hoping to bid farewell to Chelsea on a high note by propelling them to European qualification.
Ederson injury 'doesn't look good', says Guardiola
Pep Guardiola conceded Ederson's injury "doesn't look good" as Manchester City were forced to wait on the severity of the issue.
Ederson had to be taken off at half-time during City's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, a victory that took them back to within a point of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
The Brazil international needed treatment on an apparent shoulder injury after a collision with Forest defender Willy Boly.
Ederson was seen with his arm in a sling after full-time at the City Ground.
And Guardiola said: "It doesn't look good. We will see [on Monday] with the doctor."
Stefan Ortega again stepped up in Ederson's absence, with City's number two having performed well when called upon this campaign.
Ortega has made seven Premier League appearances this season, making 16 saves from 22 shots on target faced, giving him a save percentage of 72.7.
Ederson, meanwhile, has a save percentage of 67.1, keeping out 53 of the 79 attempts on target he has faced.
Ortega has a slightly better goals prevented figure of 1.6 compared to Ederson's 1.0.
Recruitment crucial if Slot gets Liverpool job, warns Brands
Arne Slot must only settle for the best in the transfer market if he succeeds Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.
That is the view of PSV president Marcel Brands, who has warned Slot against taking several Eredivisie players with him in comments which might be interpreted as a dig at Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
Liverpool are reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Feyenoord to appoint Slot, who led the Rotterdam giants to just their second league title this century in 2022-23.
Should Slot get the job, he will be taking over at what could be a time of great upheaval at Anfield.
Star forward Mohamed Salah could follow Klopp through the exit door as he enters the final 12 months of his contract, with renewed interest from the Saudi Pro League likely.
The Egyptian was involved in a public spat with Klopp during Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Ham and has only scored three Premier League goals since going to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Asked how Slot should approach taking over during a time of transition, Brands told Goedemorgen Eredivisie: "Don't focus blindly on signing five Dutch players.
"He has to look very carefully at what he needs with his style of football, and only settle for top players."
Brands' comments come as Slot's fellow Dutchman Ten Hag continues to attract fierce criticism amid an underwhelming second campaign at Old Trafford, with Eredivisie recruits Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez having limited impacts this term.
Brands has warned Slot the pressure awaiting him at Anfield will match that Ten Hag has faced at United, saying: "Slot will be working at one of the biggest clubs in England.
"You have to realise that. Liverpool have supporters from all over the world, and the pressure is always there.
"Just like Manchester United, they really are the biggest clubs in England, but it is a fantastic challenge."
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