Following their recent 2-1 defeat in the final Ligue 1 match against Paris FC, Paris Saint-Germain now enters a crucial 12-day period without official fixtures as they gear up for the Champions League final clash with Arsenal. A friendly match is already on the agenda for the upcoming weekend.
“Adapting to the calendar is our primary focus,” head coach Luis Enrique emphasized in a press conference before the final Ligue 1 match against local rivals Paris FC. Already crowned French champions, Paris Saint-Germain made the short journey to Stade Jean-Bouin on Sunday with the explicit aim of “preparing for the Champions League final” against Arsenal, scheduled for May 30 in Budapest, Hungary.
However, the reigning European champions failed to deliver the performance their coach anticipated, ultimately falling 2-1. A “disappointed” Luis Enrique stated he found “nothing positive from that game; when you play football without ambition and intensity, such outcomes are predictable.”
“a more challenging season finale than usual”
The Parisian squad now faces a 12-day stretch without competitive matches before their monumental European final. This situation contrasts with the previous season, where they contested the Coupe de France final against Reims (a 3-0 victory) just a week prior to their trip to Munich and a resounding 5-0 win over Inter Milan.
“This season’s conclusion is proving more complex than what we’ve typically experienced,” the Spanish tactician revealed during his press briefing. “Last year, playing in the Coupe de France final provided significant motivation. Nevertheless, we have two weeks remaining to meticulously prepare for the most pivotal match in our club’s history.”
A clear plan is now taking shape. “We will encompass everything: physical and mental recovery, followed by a friendly match next weekend to increase our football workload,” Luis Enrique detailed. Close attention will be paid to initial reports regarding Ousmane Dembélé’s injury, who exited Sunday evening’s game as a precaution after just half an hour. Furthermore, the potential full training returns of Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi, and Quentin Ndjantou, all of whom resumed individual training on Saturday, will be keenly monitored.
Recalling last year’s preparations, PSG players and staff journeyed to Munich on the Friday morning preceding the final, conducting a final training session at the Allianz Arena in the early evening.
