Luis Enrique warns PSG stars to leave their comfort zone or risk decline
Luis Enrique has warned his Paris Saint-Germain players that past success will count for nothing if they begin to relax, insisting they must keep operating outside their comfort zone if they want to keep winning.
The PSG coach delivered the message after his side came from 2-0 down to draw with Rennes on Sunday, a match that exposed some worrying early sloppiness but also underlined the growing depth in his squad.
It was a game that said plenty.
Luis Enrique hauled off both Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at half-time, sending on Mika Godts and Ferran Torres instead. The changes transformed the match, with Ferran scoring twice on debut to rescue a point for the French champions.
That response pleased the coach, but not enough to soften his wider warning.
"That is football. Paris Saint-Germain have won nothing, absolutely nothing," he said when speaking about the new season, even with PSG chasing another Ligue 1 title and a 3rd straight Champions League crown. "If you only think about what you have already won, then you will win nothing. There is no credit. You have to show readiness every day, every match, every training session. Otherwise, you relax, and then you start to decline."
He has never really been a manager for sentiment or self-congratulation, and his point was clear, this PSG side may be decorated, but they are not entitled to anything going forward.
"I was not raised that way. We always aim to win, and to keep winning you have to step outside your comfort zone. Is that clear?"
PSG had already lifted the UEFA Super Cup this month, but they also lost domestically to Lens and looked far too slow and passive before the break against Rennes, going in 2-0 down after struggling badly to control the game.
He admitted Rennes had caused real problems, especially in transition, and said PSG found it difficult to get hold of the match in the 1st half.
Still, he was encouraged by the response after the break and by what the replacements gave him.
"He did not do badly, did he?" he said of Ferran Torres after the Spaniard came on and scored twice. "He scored 2 goals, but I am happy with everyone who came on in a very difficult match because we had a lot of trouble controlling Rennes in the first half. They countered very well and scored 2 very good goals."
"The match was quite complicated, but the important thing for me is seeing that many players are ready."
Luis Enrique is trying to build a squad where places are constantly under pressure, and Ferran's debut only reinforced that idea. The coach made it clear that strong competition inside the group is not a side effect of the recruitment, it is the point of it.
PSG may not be done in the market yet.
"We sign players to go on a long journey with them. This is very positive for him and we are very happy," he said of Ferran. “We are always looking for the best players for each match. Winning a place in the team will be harder than last year, and that is our ambition.”
Luis Enrique said the club have had a very good transfer window so far, but left the door open for more movement, while again stressing that even a team as successful as this one still needs to improve.
PSG may still be one of the strongest sides in Europe, but their coach clearly has no intention of letting them feel comfortable there.
