Luis Enrique unconcerned by PSG’s poor start to the season

Paris Saint-Germain have started a Ligue 1 season this poorly only once in the past 19 years, yet the club has responded by extending Luis Enrique’s contract until 2030.

The timing is striking. PSG remain without a win after three matches, and Friday’s 2-1 home defeat by Monaco leaves them seven points behind the early leaders. They had led at halftime but conceded twice after the break.

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There is no reason to be concerned. I say that honestly. How many shots on target did Monaco have? Two. How many goals? Two. We’ll see at the end of the season whether things balance out.

Enrique, however, rejected the idea that the team’s form should cause concern. “There is no reason to be concerned. I say that honestly. How many shots on target did Monaco have? Two. How many goals? Two. We’ll see at the end of the season whether things balance out,” he said.

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What I want to get across is that you shouldn’t look only at the result.

The coach argued that PSG’s pressing had been excellent, even compared with matches in which they kept clean sheets. He said the result reflected bad luck and insisted Monaco would lose most repeat encounters. “Monaco know that if they play against us like this 10 times, we win eight, there’d be one draw and we’d lose once. This was that one defeat,” Enrique said.

PSG’s two points from three games represent their worst start since the 2007-08 season, when the club finished 16th and came close to relegation. That team did not win until its sixth league match and ended the campaign only three points above the relegation places. Enrique said the current deficit should motivate his players as PSG prepare to host Slovan Bratislava in their first Champions League group match, seeking a third straight European title.

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Monaco know that if they play against us like this 10 times, we win eight, there’d be one draw and we’d lose once. This was that one defeat.