The two coaches discussed after PSG-Nantes (2-1) on Saturday, on the field of Parc des Princes.
Luis Enrique (PSG coach, after the 2-1 victory over Nantes): “Before a match like Wednesday’s (in Dortmund in the Champions League), a great motivation. We were quite good to win. Nantes defended well. They closed our opportunities. It was a match that strengthens our position in the championship and prepares us for the Champions League. (…) These are big matches, like the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals… We depend on ourselves and that’s important. In case of victory, no need to worry about the other match (Newcastle-Milan). It’s an important and decisive match for us. (on Mbappé’s performance) He played as he always does in the championship, with total freedom to move from one side to the other or between the lines. He has defensive instructions but does what he wants in attack. It depends on the match, but his role doesn’t change, it’s freedom. (Dembélé suspended Wednesday and a substitute against FCN) It’s a match conditioned by Wednesday’s. He cannot play on Wednesday. I wanted to see Barcola as a starter, play Marquinhos but not too much… We met the objectives. Some may have played more than expected, but Dembélé’s side is important for us because he’s a unique player. Bradley Barcola? He is young, with a lot of quality to dribble and personality. He has playing time in a team like ours. He is the present and future of the club. He had a great match.”
Jocelyn Gourvennec (Nantes coach): “Not far… It’s always tough to play here, there is a lot of quality. We controlled our defensive animation well but we also need to add technical quality to keep the ball. We struggled to do that in the first half and we conceded a goal. We corrected at halftime, quickly equalized and passed a milestone, we had good sequences, managed to get out from pressure. But we couldn’t hold on. We don’t make many mistakes but the ones we make have consequences… (Impact after the death of a supporter before Nice? I felt early in the week that it occupied the discussions… We can only regret it, it’s very sad, but we had a match to prepare and the players were very serious all week. It shows with this match. What was missing was to be more precise in the last 30 meters of the opponents. That’s the difference between the two teams. We need to be more precise, therefore more threatening. (…) I am proud of what the players produced, of the attitude. We wanted to press high in sequences and it could have paid off. There’s still something missing… We had the situations to come back to 2-2 (…) The goals, Europe or maintenance? When we are capable of playing these matches against Nice and Paris, it should push us to say that we are a good team and we want to become a very good one. I am proud to be the coach of FC Nantes.”
Quotes gathered in a press conference.
