“What is your first reaction after this heavy defeat, despite two goals scored?
I’m like the players, disappointed, because we held on. We made a good start. We knew it was going to be very complicated, it was. We were disciplined and united until a certain moment. The end of the first half hurt us, like the start of the second. We didn’t come home well. We had easy ball losses. Do not give too many balls to this team. We were able to do better on that side. Satisfaction comes from following the instructions, but you have to be more rigorous. We are still happy to have scored two goals.
Why did you choose not to start Mamadou Sakho in the middle and to field a four-man defense against PSG’s huge attack?
It’s not a matter of discipline. Why am I making this or that choice? I don’t think any of my defenders can say he’s an essential starter. It’s punctual. I need to see some things. If boys are less well, they don’t start. The collective is the most important.
You still decided to bring him in late in the game. Was it a form of management?
We know what Mamadou did here. He left an important mark. It was certainly important to him, but also that the team works better. We both talked about it.
Do you regret your defenders’ throwback mistakes?
What I would have liked is that they managed to get out. We played long, it’s exhausting. Playing long to clear, that does not interest me. We have to progress and find the balance. Sometimes you have to play long and sometimes shorter. Technically, I regret too easy ball losses. On this side, we can take an example from PSG by doing simple things, which is very important. Sometimes my players forget that simplicity is a strength.
What is your overall analysis of your defensive sector?
There were hesitations, sometimes culpable, due to a lack of attention. We still fall on a very high level. It was a big test for us. There is a delta to get on the attention, on the determination and the force that they put in the duels. These matches are there to teach us. There are still a lot of things to work on. »
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