PSG coach Luis Enrique has injected a note of caution into the excitement surrounding Ousmane Dembele’s potential as the team’s next top scorer. While acknowledging Dembele’s impressive start to the season, with four goals and two assists, Enrique believes that placing excessive pressure on one player could prove detrimental to the team’s success.
Dembele’s goal in the second half of PSG’s 1-1 draw against Reims on Saturday further solidified his position as a leading contender to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe’s departure to Real Madrid. However, Enrique, speaking at a press conference following the match, emphasized the importance of collective improvement rather than pinning their hopes on a single player.
“We’re not looking for a goal scorer, because if you put the pressure on Dembele and then he doesn’t score the goals you want him to score, we’ll start with the problems,” Enrique stated. He emphasized the importance of team unity and a shared responsibility for goals. “What we want is for the team to win. Who scores? I don’t care. Let someone who wears the PSG shirt score. There is no pressure on one player only. The whole team has to keep improving,” he added.
PSG’s recent 1-1 draw against Reims came on the heels of a hard-fought Champions League victory over Spanish side Girona. The team faced challenges in Reims due to the absence of key players like striker Marcos Asensio and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
“We knew from the start that it was going to be a very difficult game. They played very well, they’re physically very strong and they were good on the ball,” Enrique acknowledged, recognizing the strength of their opponents.
Despite the difficulties, Enrique remains confident in his team’s ability to adapt and overcome challenges. He highlighted the strategic benefits of player rotation and positional flexibility, which he believes will be crucial in the coming matches.
“We will change players depending on what we see in the games. I have a lot of versatility in my squad to be able to use that and it’s an option we have on a regular basis with different players,” he concluded.
PSG’s upcoming fixtures include a home match against Stade Rennais on Friday, followed by a crucial Champions League clash against Arsenal four days later. Enrique’s emphasis on team cohesion and a shared responsibility for goals will likely be crucial in ensuring PSG’s continued success on both the domestic and European fronts.
