PARIS (Reuters) -Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique defended his goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier on Monday as his side prepare to face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, saying he had full confidence in the 22-year-old.
Chevalier, who joined from Lille during the close season, has started the campaign as first choice ahead of Russian Matvei Safonov.
"For me he’s one of the best options, if not the best," Luis Enrique told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s league phase match in Germany.
"He has shown personality. When you are the PSG goalkeeper, you have to learn to live with the criticism. I like Lucas’s mentality and the level he’s showing. We are very confident he’ll be important for years to come."
DONNARUMMA DEPARTURE
Italian keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma left for Manchester City after helping PSG win the European Cup last season for the first time.
"I think you don’t remember how many years you criticised Gigio Donnarumma. For four years, you killed him sportingly," Luis Enrique added.
PSG have taken six points from their first two games in the expanded 36-team league phase.
"We’re looking for the same thing as last season: to get as many points as possible in what is a very difficult league phase," Luis Enrique said.
"We’re happy to have won our first two matches, but tomorrow will be a different kind of test.”
The Spanish coach also welcomed back Ousmane Dembele, brushing off talk about the forward having won the Ballon d’Or.
"You’re very preoccupied with the Ballon d’Or," he said. "It’s Ousmane Dembele, not the Ballon d’Or. We’re happy to have him back."
PSG’s 2-1 win at Barcelona this month boosted their confidence after what Luis Enrique described as a very difficult start to the season, which left them second in Ligue 1 behind Olympique de Marseille.
"We’ve shown resilience," he said. "Tomorrow is important because the sooner we win points, the better."
Leverkusen, now under Danish coach Kasper Hjulmand after the departure of Erik ten Hag, have undergone major changes.
"It’s hard to know what to expect," Luis Enrique said. "They’ve brought in 20 players, and they can press high or sit deep. We have to be ready for everything."
PSG are third in the Champions League standings on six points, behind Manchester City and Real Madrid.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot, Editing by Ed Osmond)
