«We are champions again, 99.9%», celebrated Luis Enrique on Sunday after the victory (1-0) against Brest, which practically secured the title for PSG before their last two matches.
«It is the first time since I arrived here that a team has caused us problems.»
To definitively secure this trophy, the Parisians must not lose to Sang et Or, who are six points behind and have a significantly lower goal difference (+29 compared to +44 for PSG).
This would complete the circle for Luis Enrique’s players, who have been under pressure from the Northerners throughout the season.
«We have highlighted what Lens has done this season. No one at the beginning of the season imagined it. It is the first time since I arrived here that a team has caused us problems. They deserve to be in the Champions League, congratulations to them. We will try to enjoy a high-level match. It’s a real test,» explained Luis Enrique to the press on Tuesday before Wednesday’s 29th round make-up match.
«It has been very difficult for us, the last two championships we won were more peaceful,» he said on Sunday night.
Wednesday night will be «a celebration for French football, with the two best teams of the season,» he insisted.
Homage to Pierre Sage
Luis Enrique thus wished to pay tribute to the Lensois and to Pierre Sage, who was named the best coach of the season on Monday, for complicating the quest for this new national title, without emphasizing the injuries and general physical fatigue disrupting his team’s first half of the 2025-2026 season.
As they prepare to defend a second consecutive European title and make history on May 30th in Budapest against Arsenal, the Parisians still have work to do on the national stage.
This will allow them to «arrive in the best physical, mental, individual and collective conditions» for the final, insisted Luis Enrique.
As since the beginning of the season, the PSG staff is carefully managing the squad to arrive in Hungary in peak form. Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, and Warren Zaïre-Emery continue their treatment and will still be absent in Lens, as well as Lee Kang-In, Achraf Hakimi, and Lucas Chevalier, the club announced on Tuesday.
Questioned on the significant number of injuries, Luis Enrique did not wish to give «any information to my opponents.»
Busy Infirmary
The infirmary is indeed full for the trip to Bollaert, but Ousmane Dembélé – recently crowned best player of the season on Monday – could be fielded to maintain rhythm before Budapest. After the final Ligue 1 match against Paris FC on Sunday at Jean-Bouin stadium, the Parisians will have almost two weeks without a match to prepare for their ultimate appointment.
«Whether you have a day of rest or a month, you are ready. It won’t be a problem,» said the coach, while an friendly match may take place the weekend before the European final, the Spanish coach has not yet revealed the identity of the future opponent.
«We will try to have a bit of rest during the remaining two weeks, and have significant training moments to prepare for the final, a little bit of everything,» the coach explained. «We will be competitive in Lens and against Paris FC (on Sunday), but the goal is the match on May 30th,» he added.
