The PSG calendar is experiencing a big boost this Wednesday with a trip to Marseille as part of the knockout stages of the Coupe de France. The Parisian coach is waiting for his team to raise their level of play and be up to the event for this Clasico which promises to be particularly hot. He also spoke about the management of goalkeepers and gave news of Neymar, ready to play against OM.
How do you experience this trip to the Vélodrome as a man who grew up in Marseille and who played for Olympique de Marseille?
CHRISTOPHER GALTIER. When I arrived at PSG, I knew that there would be matches in Marseille, we will go to the Vélodrome twice in a short time. I completely disregard that I was born in Marseille, that I am from Marseille, that I played for OM. I am a PSG coach, I know what these matches represent. It’s not a classic round of 16. I ignore all that. I made sure to close all the arrivals that there could be on my laptop and on the family plan to stay very focused on the match and to seek qualification.
Can you give us any news of the injured?
Renato will be unavailable, he is the victim of an injury (Editor’s note: hamstrings on the left thigh). He will have a few weeks off. Neymar is available, Verratti and Ramos are too. Mukiele hasn’t trained with the group yet but he is progressing and improving well. Kimpembe is not very far from joining the group and being operational. He began to integrate part of the sessions with complementary work.
Are you entering the most exciting month of your career?
Yes we can see it like that! It is a very exciting month. I have known very compact periods in the past, but when you are the coach of PSG, you are with great exposure, there is an obligation of result. I am not under pressure during this month of February. But it’s true that there will be a lot at stake, a lot of expectations during this month with the double confrontation against Bayern and this knockout match against OM.
What words did you say to your players before playing the previous Classic?
You know, we have a lot of players who have had these kinds of games, Classics, big games with so much exposure, with opponents who are going to try to put pressure on you. We will have to raise our level of play, be good on a technical level. And having this ability to play under the pressure of the opponent. It’s a team that presses a lot, that hunts everywhere, we will have to resist this pressure and most often have the ball at our feet.
How important is managing emotions to you?
The management of emotion comes with experience, the fact that we have been able to play matches of this type. I very often remind my players that it’s first and foremost an 11 against 11 match, we’re not playing against 60,000 spectators. I tell them very often that they have to finish at eleven and not get carried away by disputes, bad gestures or regroupings like there could be tomorrow because it’s the game of the year for a lot of people. . You have to have lucidity and a cool head. Everyone must play with their own qualities.
Who from Gianluigi Donnarumma or Sergio Rico will start on Wednesday as starter?
I will not give you the name of the name of the goalkeeper who will start but my goalkeepers are aware of who it will be.
Is Donnarumma released from competition after Navas leaves on loan?
No, he didn’t need to be more liberated, things were very clear between Gigio, Keylor and months on the hierarchy. If I told you he’s released, that would mean Keylor didn’t do the job well. He behaved very well during these six months. He wanted to leave to play, he is passionate about the game, he did not accept the situation. The behavior of Gigio and Keylor was exemplary, there were never any problems between them. Sergio Rico has become number 2. The goalkeepers get along well. Gigio has always been happy in the dressing room and on the pitch.
How do you judge the development of Zaire-Emery?
He is a young boy, he has a certain maturity. It seemed important to me after the Reims episode (Editor’s note: he was involved in the opposing goal) that he quickly regain his feelings, that’s why he came back against Montpellier. He is a very attentive, observant player. He has a personality that leads him to take initiatives. Against Montpellier, another player would surely have tried to make the pass, went for the goal with great determination. He is very, very close to the level of our confirmed midfielders.
What form is Neymar in?
Since his return from the World Cup, he has been working on his ankle every day, on strengthening, but also to make his ankle stronger, more stable. He was spared after the Reims match, he had felt great discomfort in the adductor at the start of this meeting. He had wanted to go as far as possible. There was a precautionary principle on the matches that followed. But there the feelings are very good, he did a full session today.
Is El Chadaille Bitshiabu able to start a match like OM-PSG?
It’s a very big potential, with a lot of lucidity and clairvoyance. He is also very close to the level of our defenders. What I noticed on the match against Toulouse is that he is very unhappy on his first intervention which costs him a yellow card and behind there is a goal. We thought it would be complicated for this young boy but in the end, he played a very good match. Rewatching the game, you don’t see that it’s a 17-year-old. He had a mastery of events and emotions. He can start the game against Marseille like other games, that’s for sure.