Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has revealed that he deliberately skipped the UNFP Ligue 1 awards ceremony on Monday night to focus on preparing for the Champions League final against Arsenal. The Spanish tactician opted out of attending the event at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, where several of his players were honoured, in order to study the Gunners ahead of the May 30 showdown in Budapest.
PSG are aiming to win the Champions League for a second consecutive season, and Luis Enrique made it clear that his priorities lie with the final. When asked why he did not attend the awards, he stated: 'I never go to these kinds of events. I prefer to stay home; I need to study Arsenal.' He added that he was pleased to see his players recognised, describing their accolades as well-deserved. The PSG boss also congratulated Pierre Sage of Lens, who beat him to the Ligue 1 Coach of the Year award, calling Sage's work this season 'incredible.'
PSG Players Honoured at UNFP Awards
Despite Luis Enrique's absence, PSG players featured prominently at the ceremony. Ousmane Dembele was named Ligue 1 Player of the Season, while Desire Doue took home the Best Young Player award. Additionally, Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, and Dembele were all selected in Ligue 1's Team of the Season. The awards recognised the club's dominance in French football, having already secured the Ligue 1 title this campaign.
Rotation Ahead of Lens and Paris FC Clashes
PSG face second-placed Lens on Wednesday in their penultimate league game, with Luis Enrique expected to rotate heavily. The match comes just three days after their victory over Brest, and the coach emphasised the need to manage player fitness. 'We have injured players and others who have played two matches in a row. We have to manage it individually, as we have always done this season,' he explained. After the Lens game, PSG travel to Paris FC on Sunday for their final Ligue 1 fixture before a two-week break leading up to the Champions League final.
Luis Enrique acknowledged that Lens will provide a tough test, describing the match as 'a celebration for French football between the two best teams of the season.' He expects an entertaining game and sees it as ideal preparation for the final. 'Tomorrow, we will show what kind of team we are, our ambition. Every time we wear the PSG jersey, it’s a responsibility,' he added.
Injury Concerns for PSG
PSG have several injury concerns heading into the final stretch of the season. Achraf Hakimi is sidelined with a hamstring injury, having missed five games. Lucas Chevalier has a hamstring issue and has been out for three matches. Nuno Mendes and William Pacho are both nursing dead legs, each missing one game. Warren Zaire-Emery is out with a back injury, while Quentin Ndjantou has been absent for 28 games due to a hamstring problem. Luis Enrique stressed the importance of managing the squad's fitness, noting that the short turnaround between matches poses a challenge.
Despite these setbacks, the coach remains confident about the team's readiness for the final. 'When your goal is a Champions League final, you’re ready after a month or even a day of rest. It won’t be a problem,' he said. PSG's fixtures include the Lens match on May 13, the Paris FC game on May 17, and the Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30.
