Luis Enrique claims that PSG is a better team now that Mbappe is gone

Before facing third-place AS Monaco on Friday, coach Luis Enrique stated that Paris St. Germain, the clear leaders of Ligue 1, have improved in both attack and defense since striker Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid last year.

After seven years in Paris, Mbappe left to join the Spanish powerhouses in June, having made more than 200 appearances for the team and scored more than 170 goals in Ligue 1.

“I was very brave last season when I told you that we would have a better team in attack and defense,” Luis Enrique said Thursday at a press conference.

“The statistics support my continued belief that we are superior in both areas. It was seen as a challenge by the players. Everyone adored Kylian, so of course we would have preferred to keep him, but the squad is reacting… at an incredible level.

“I told you that I wanted players that all score a lot of goals, not just one who scores 40. The team’s maturity is excellent when faced with a circumstance that we did not want but that did occur.

The reigning champions With 20 games played, PSG leads Olympique de Marseille by 10 points and Monaco by 13 points, making them the only undefeated team in Europe’s top five leagues.

After defeating Monaco 4-2 in the rematch in December, they won the French Super Cup 1-0 in January thanks to a late goal from Ousmane Dembele.

The 27-year-old Dembele, who also scored twice for Monaco, is the player Luis Enrique says he wants to lead the club.

He is currently starring in a series that is truly amazing. “It’s clear that his numbers have skyrocketed in comparison to the start of his career,” Luis Enrique stated.

“He must contribute more to the squad than just goals. You need an assist from someone in order to score a goal. With his defensive efforts and assists, Ousmane should continue to be a deciding player, which is what we want.

“Scoring goals is not the only thing that goes into becoming a team leader. Being a leader is a distinct experience. Ousmane has the potential to be one of the team’s leaders, in my opinion.

Luis Enrique went on to say he anticipated a challenging matchup with eight-time winners Monaco.

“Monaco has advanced significantly without the ball. He remarked, “They’re really intense.”

“They are a well-built squad that effectively uses the field… They can lead to a lot of problems. That was evident in the previous two games. They are direct rivals in Ligue 1, and tomorrow’s game will be challenging as well.”