Luis Enrique banking on competition to keep PSG focused

Luis Enrique hopes the competition in Paris Saint-Germain’s squad will keep his players on their toes ahead of Wednesday’s heavyweight Ligue 1 clash with Monaco.

PSG are one of just two unbeaten teams in Europe’s top five leagues this season, alongside Juventus in Serie A, and they lead the way in the French top flight with 37 points.

They are seven points clear of both Marseille in second and Monaco in third, ahead of facing Adi Hutter’s side at Stade Louis II.

Wednesday’s game will be the 97th between Monaco and PSG in Ligue 1 – the most the Parisiens have faced any single opponent. Monaco’s 45 wins against PSG, meanwhile, are the most by any team in the French top flight.

Ahead of the game, Luis Enrique said it was “utopian” to have multiple players available in every position on the pitch, praising the options available to him.

“I would like to have two players in each position who are starters, and for there to be real competition. I’ve got that with the three goalkeepers, and they’re ready to play,” Luis Enrique told reporters.

“With the outfield players, we sometimes lose players. For me, the basis for growing as a team is above all this idea that the players don’t know whether they’re going to play or not.

“If they relax a little too much, someone else can play in their place. It’s for the benefit of the team. That’s the way I’m going to go.”

Luis Enrique said Monaco, who have lost only one of their last five games, are genuine title contenders.

They have lost 19% of their Ligue 1 matches in 2024 (six of 32), their lowest percentage of defeats in a calendar year since they last won the title in 2017 (11%, four of 38).

“Monaco have a very high level, with players who unbalance a lot, it’s a bit the same profile as Lyon. Defensively, Monaco have improved,” the Spaniard said.

“They are a very tough team to play against. We will need a very good version of our team. We are used to being up to the task in these games.”

Should PSG avoid defeat, it will be the sixth time they have gone unbeaten through their first 16 matches of a Ligue 1 season.

That would be four more times than any other team, with Lyon and Saint-Etienne doing so 10 times each, while the last 10 unbeaten teams after 16 games have finished as champions.