Soccer Football - Champions League - FC Salzburg v Paris St Germain - Red Bull Arena Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria - December 10, 2024 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute/File Photo
(Reuters) - Coach Luis Enrique played down Paris St Germain's troubles on Saturday and said the Ligue 1 club had shown steady improvement over the course of their season, with the statistics telling a positive tale.
PSG have just seven points from six games in the Champions League and risk missing the cut for the knockout stage as they are in 25th place, one point outside the playoff positions.
While they have been much more dominant in the French league and remain unbeaten after 14 matches, they have drawn their last two games, allowing second-placed Olympique de Marseille to narrow the gap to five points.
In both their draws, against Auxerre and Nantes, PSG created a number of scoring opportunities and had at least 10 shots on target.
"Statistically, it's my best season as a coach. Even if you criticise, if there are lies invented, it's my best in terms of numbers, on the chances generated by us and the chances given away to the opponents," Luis Enrique told reporters.
"I've had seasons with great success. But I only see positive things here. No matter the negativity that there has been since the start of the season... Little by little things are falling into place and I'm very happy with this season.
"There have been difficulties in the Champions League but it is a process of growth which depends on the ability to overcome problems. The level of training is rising, the players are better every day... This is the best season of my career."
PSG attacker Bradley Barcola has struggled in front of goal recently, going three league matches without scoring after netting 10 times in the first 11 games.
Luis Enrique said Barcola was still contributing to the team, adding: "Bradley has been decisive in every game. You judge him on assists or goals but football is a much more complex sport.
"A player can be key without scoring or getting an assist. What is important is that the 11 players attack or defend together. That is the objective. Who wins the best player award, it is not important for us."
On Sunday, PSG host fifth-placed Lyon, who have won their last four matches across all competitions, including impressive victories over Qarabag and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League.
"We know Lyon well. It's an opponent who is in very good form at the moment, well ranked both in Europe and in Ligue 1," the Spanish manager added.
"They have real quality in their team so that generates a lot of motivation and desire to be up to the task.
"The danger presented by Lyon is that they are capable of keeping the ball. They have some very good individual players."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
