PSG coach Luis Enrique dismisses doubts over his team’s title credentials after French Cup exit, focusing on Ligue 1 and Champions League challenges.
PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has dismissed any doubts about his team’s quality following their shock French Cup exit.
PSG lost 1-0 at home to newly-promoted Paris FC on Monday despite dominating the match. The champions failed to score from 25 shots, a performance emblematic of their less sharp campaign this season.
“Honestly, if anyone has any doubts about our team… they should drop them,” Luis Enrique said. “What’s the problem? People think we’re going to win all the trophies and all of our matches? Football doesn’t work that way.”
The coach was speaking ahead of Friday’s Ligue 1 match against fourth-placed Lille. PSG currently sit second, one point behind surprise leaders Lens.
Last season’s treble winners have been hampered by injuries and a dip in creativity. They are already out of the domestic cup they won last year.
Luis Enrique said he hopes the cup elimination “will be a motivation for Ligue 1 and the Champions League, which are the most important competitions”. PSG face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League next Tuesday.
Meanwhile, leaders Lens will be without top scorer Odsonne Edouard for their match against Auxerre on Saturday. Coach Pierre Sage confirmed the striker is injured.
“We think that he could play, maybe for 15 minutes, but we don’t want to take the risk,” Sage said. Youngster Rayan Fofana is likely to replace him.
Third-placed Marseille, who trail Lens by eight points, face a difficult trip to Angers.
