Rest assured, PSG is well guarded.
Because if Keylor Navas shines with the men's team, Christiane Endler does not illuminate the women's season less.
Arrived in Paris in 2017, subject to strong competition with fan favorite Katarzyna Kiedrzynek until 2020, the 29-year-old Chilean is more serene than ever.
Sure of his strength and that of PSG, Endler does not hide his ambitions for the coming months before receiving Bordeaux this Friday (at 6:45 p.m. on Canal + Sport).
The first question is easy ... Are you the best goalie in the world today?
CHRISTIANE ENDLER.
I don't think so, no (laughs).
No, I don't know… I don't feel like the best yet.
I think I can continue to grow, to progress.
Being one of the best is already a big reward for me.
I am delighted with everything I have experienced in recent seasons (
Editor's note: in 2019, she was named among the three best goalkeepers in the world for The Best award
).
How do you judge your progress over the past few months?
I have grown enormously.
I feel good today, I believe that is also the case for the team, which has improved in recent months.
It helps to get better results, to get them in a better way too.
Personally, I am happy with my progress and I hope to continue.
The experience acquired also helps a lot to understand the requirement of the high level.
What aspects do you think you have learned the most about?
Managing the highlights, managing the more difficult moments during a game, a season, playing the most important games… I think it's on all these levels, yes.
The team doesn't need me often during a meeting.
But on a situation, I must answer present.
On concentration… It's not easy, but I achieved this goal in the last few months.
What is your room for improvement?
There always is.
Among the guards all the more.
The older we are, the better we are (laughs).
The experience builds up… I can continue to learn, day after day, something new, to apply it.
This is really what I try to achieve on a daily basis to improve myself.
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Is it a personal goal to become the best in the world?
The truth is, I prefer to win trophies with my team, my selection.
But it goes hand in hand with the individual prices.
If you achieve great things as a team, let everyone help the collective, it brings you individual trophies and awards.
I say it again, to have been among the three best goalkeepers in the world in 2019 already seems to me a great reward.
Did the competition with Katarzyna Kiedrzynek, who left for Wolfsburg in 2020, help you?
Yes.
It was an important moment… But I also believe that for both of us, at the end of our joint period, it penalized us a bit.
Neither of them could develop their game in the best way.
We didn't know who would play, who wouldn't play… The pressure of not being calm knowing that any mistake could get you out of the team in favor of the other.
I think at one point it bothered us both.
Today, I am more relaxed in my game. She too, I know everything is going well for her in Germany.
Former PSG goalkeeper coach Bruno Valencony with Christiane Endler and Katarzyna Kiedrzynek./Anthony Dibon / LP / Icon Sport
What advice do Gianluca Spinelli, the men's team goalkeeper coach give you?
He came with us several times.
He's a great coach, he has a slightly different vision of the game. Every time he was there, he added a touch.
He was showing us new exercises.
He is very keen to detect small faults, gaps in your game. He also quickly prepares an exercise to solve a particular problem.
PSG are lucky to have him.
Is Keylor Navas one of the keepers who inspire you?
He is a very good goalkeeper, of a very high level, with a lot of qualities.
In addition, like me, he is from Latin America.
For both of us, coming from where we come from, we have to do even more.
In that sense, yes, I feel inspired by him and I have a lot of respect for his work.
Discussions around your extension are ongoing.
What is your wish?
Stay in Paris?
I am thinking about all these questions.
There is nothing clear about the sequel yet.
Apart from this season, get results no matter what with PSG.
It's important for us to win a title.
I also have goals with the selection to qualify for the Olympics.
There are important things happening this year… But I really enjoy life here in Paris.
To talk about the collective, do you have a feeling of revenge when you receive Bordeaux this Friday after the 0-0 conceded in the first leg?
Yes.
Against Bordeaux, it's always an important moment.
There, even more, after the two points lost in the first leg.
We deserved to win.
We were playing well, we missed a penalty, we hit the posts… It was really a strange game.
But we know that Bordeaux remains a difficult opponent, which has the top scorer in the championship (
Editor's note: Khadija Shaw, 14 goals
).
We must continue on our series.
The first part of the season seems perfect, right?
Almost perfect (laughs).
We especially managed to stay strong defensively.
We only conceded two goals in eleven games, we scored a lot (
Editor's note: 44 goals
).
We really have to continue.
We haven't won anything yet.
To hope for this title, constant progression is essential.
Is solidarity the key to winning the championship?
I think yes.
There is solidarity.
This season we have a common goal with all the girls.
There is a great atmosphere in the locker room, there is no problem between us.
And that's also what helps us to stay focused on the goal of the season which is to win this title.
Is the atmosphere in the group new this year?
There has never been a bad atmosphere.
But, this season, she is really great.
We all get along very well.
It shows in the field and in the results.
The team seems to have gained confidence as well, especially since the victory against Olympique Lyonnais (1-0) ...
I believe we have always had a high level team.
But we lacked that little extra thing to hope to win a title.
This season, we don't know each other anymore, the team has hardly moved for two years.
Being second for all these years… It also gives a feeling of revenge.
We want to win and it shows.