2023-05-19 15:30:42
Absent from Camp des Loges on Thursday for medical reasons, Christophe Galtier returned to training this Friday morning. Two days before the trip to Auxerre, where he should be able to count on Marco Verratti despite his absence for the day for a bruised knee, the Parisian coach spoke of the last steps that separate PSG from their eleventh French championship title.
What does the extension of Marquinhos, who will be Parisian until 2028, represent?
CHRISTOPHER GALTIER. This is very good news for the club, the coach and the fans, Marquinhos is an example, he arrived at 19, is finishing his ninth season, he is one of the best defenders in the world. It has been ubiquitous for ten years. This is very good news for the competitiveness of the club. And for Marqui, it’s a mark of reliability.
How did you welcome the fact of not having been named by your peers among the five best Ligue 1 technicians at the UNFP Trophies? And how do you explain it?
There is no explanation to be had. There is a vote, it must be respected. I, too, voted and I think that the five who have been nominated (Franck Haise, Paulo Fonseca, Pascal Gastien, Philippe Montanier and Igor Tudor) deserve to be there. I had no particular reaction. It’s part of a vote that we have to respect.
With the return of good results, is the atmosphere lighter than in recent weeks?
I quickly felt after Lorient (1-3) a big mobilization on the part of everyone. The fact of having been able to win at Troyes (3-1) and Ajaccio (5-0) allows the pressure to be released a little. The players have been very serious in their work. We have a very important match, we are approaching the end of the championship. Do not count on Lens to drop points. You have to do the work and perform well. Auxerre is fighting, has a chance to hold on. They are undefeated in the last seven home games, it will be a high-stakes meeting with one team fighting for the maintenance and another for the title.
How do you judge the evolution of Donnarumma this season?
He is a great professional, a good boy who is above all very well educated. He is improving in reading the game. He is decisive on his line where he takes up a lot of space, makes a lot of reflex saves. It takes more leadership by directing its defense well. But he must be even more aggressive in certain situations, for example not admitting to being able to take a goal when we are leading 3-0 or when we play stoppage time in a match which we have dominated. He needs to be more aggressive towards himself and his defenders to become one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Do you regret not being able to use the MNM more this season?
When you have these players, Leo, Kylian and Ney, it is an objective from the start of the season to be able to associate them together. Unfortunately in this season where a World Cup was placed in the middle, the injuries of each other, in particular Ney’s serious one, meant that we could not take advantage of it. It’s like that. Each time they have been on the pitch, they have performed very well and we had a very interesting attacking game. But that’s part of the vagaries of a season. The regret is not having had this attacking trio in the decisive matches.
Is it possible to see other young people lined up in Auxerre this Sunday?
Regarding young people. It is often a subject, I understand it, because I know the quality of training at Paris Saint-Germain. You can see it across Europe, a lot of young trained Parisians performing elsewhere. I would like to point out that young people have been integrated into the sessions since the start of the season. They train and progress each at their own pace. The young people played. Warren Zaire-Emery has played and plays. He wasn’t 17 when he started. We can also talk about El Chadaille Bitshiabu. From there to integrating it into each match… We are at PSG with an obligation of results. Even when the results are going well, we analyze the game. There is an obligation to play well. Each young person has their own pace of growth and improvement. But I have the feeling that we have forgotten that a young person under 17 has started in the Champions League. That El Chadaille played. We are at the end of the season and we think the matches will be easy. We are not champions. You have to make points. But there is the obligation of results
How do you judge Hugo Ekitike’s latest performances?
Hugo who arrived late. I integrated him when he showed me in the sessions that he was there. He had one less mental blow of course, because it was difficult for him. By working, watching what he was doing in the sessions, I am satisfied with what he is doing. I think it’s also good to have a second real attacker to free Leo in the game. And that he can have other possibilities than Kylian in the attacking animation. But it is above all Hugo’s work that has made him start the last two games. It is most likely to start on Sunday
Can you tell us about Marco Verratti who was training this morning?
He took a hit in the knee and muscle. He trained individually today. It seems to be going much better, we’ll take stock tomorrow. We are hopeful that he can be with us in Auxerre. He is an important player. When he’s not there, it shows and it feels in the game. Like the team at a certain point, he had a shot less well. The slump coincided with the absence of many executives. But I find the criticisms of Marco quite harsh compared to what he does on the pitch.
The name of Bernardo Silva often comes up in the PSG transfer window. Can you tell us about the player he is?
He’s a Manchester City player first and foremost. He’s a player I discovered when he arrived in Monaco, when Luis Campos recruited him. He’s obviously an interesting player, but I’ll say it again: he’s a Manchester City player.
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