Luis Enrique welcomes Ligue 1 challenge from Lens

Luis Enrique welcomes Ligue 1 challenge from Lens
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Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique recognised on Saturday that Lens had turned the French top flight into a duel between two teams but insisted his squad was still the strongest in Ligue 1 and added: "I like the pressure."

Lens claimed the top spot by a single point after their narrow 1-0 victory over Le Havre on Friday evening, though PSG have the chance to reclaim the lead when they face Strasbourg away on Sunday.

"It's obvious, there's Lens and there's us," Luis Enrique stated during his pre-match press briefing for the journey to Alsace.

PSG secured the title last term by a margin of 19 points to claim their fourth consecutive championship. 

"The difference from last season is Lens. They are a new factor. Everything else remains the same.

"I enjoy the pressure. If they aim to apply it to us, that's fine. We are accustomed to such situations. We must demonstrate tomorrow that we thrive under it."

"Strasbourg possess real talent. In my view, we are the top team in the league, yet we need to prove it on the pitch. We have to secure victories in matches like this," he added.

"People expect us to win every match by 3-0 or 5-0 as we did last season. But that is not realistic, it is unattainable, it was exceptional. The bar is set higher now. We aim to create history, and that is challenging," he remarked.

PSG will miss Fabian Ruiz due to a bruised knee, along with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who is sidelined by a sprained ankle.

PSG, fresh from triumphs in the French Cup and their inaugural Champions League title last year, then travelled to the United States for the Club World Cup, reaching the final in July, have faced several injury setbacks this campaign.

Luis Enrique assured that the squad showed no signs of fatigue. There is "no shortfall", he noted. "The flow remains consistent." 

PSG ended up in 11th position during the Champions League league phase and now face an additional playoff round against domestic opponents Monaco.

"We will compete in the Champions League playoffs, which is not an issue. It is vital to get the required number of fixtures," he commented, expressing that he was "very pleased" about the matchup with Monaco.