"His partners should not rely on Leo but work for him", says Christophe Galtier

“Without Marquinhos, who for me is the greatest defender in the world, we could have taken a point.

Philippe Montanier left the Parc des Princes empty-handed on Saturday evening.

But if the Toulouse coach has not digested the offside position of the Parisian defender on Messi's winning goal, he has lost none of his good humor.

A resolutely positive attitude, also for Christophe Galtier who, despite the difficulties experienced by his team to win his 17th success, said he was satisfied with the performance of his troops.

You expected a full and complete game from your team.

Have you been granted?

CHRISTOPHER GALTIER.

We had a full match despite a difficult start, a defensive change linked to the exit of Renato Sanches through injury and the entry of a very young central defender.

We thought we were reliving the Montpellier scenario: we take a free kick, but we don't dissociate ourselves.

The El Chadaille - Marquinhos pair performed well.

Also like Warren (Zaire-Emery) or Ismaël (Gharbi), our young people can express themselves and show all their quality and mastery.

I take my hat off to them.

But we had to get back into the game.

As in Montpellier, Achraf was decisive.

Facing a low block, we had to take more shots.

In the second half, we were more balanced, Leo took the lead, like his goal and all the situations he creates.

It's a deserved victory even if we were in danger on the set phases.

We win before a series of matches that promises to be intense.

Achraf Hakimi seems more liberated since his return from the World Cup.

What do you attribute it to?

The fact that we are in a four-man defense allows him to launch, to start from further away.

He is a very attacking player even if he defends better and better and very well.

He has had a special relationship with Leo for a few games.

They come out of a very big World Cup, during which he was voted best African player.

He is full of confidence, we are very happy to have him at this level.

Messi was eagerly awaited in the absence of Neymar and Mbappé.

Wasn't the risk that others would rely on him?

Leo's performances are like those he has achieved in the World Cup.

I ask the team to play and work for Leo.

We release him from certain tasks to make him as comfortable as possible.

Because when he's in charge, I'm not going to teach you, he has a sense of dribbling, of play and he is obviously decisive.

His partners should not rely on him, but work more to allow him to distill his rare passes in such small angles and spaces.

Why this choice to stay in 4-4-2 diamond and what does it bring you?

I read that I was looking for “THE” formula.

No, I tried one against Reims (4-4-2 flat) which was a failure.

I think my players are more comfortable in a 4-man defense, it allows them to recover the ball better, to have more technical mastery and longer possession times.

There are more movements and that can free up the side, have good compensation but also put Leo in a good position to be decisive in the penultimate, the last pass or the conclusion.

How do you approach the clash against OM on Wednesday in the Coupe de France?

We are going to get players back.

First Marco, who is coming back from suspension, and I think Sergio and Ney too.

There, it's the famous Clasico, we'll go to the Velodrome in an extraordinary atmosphere.

My players are used to this type of match.

I hope to have my full squad.

We will have to put out a very big match, but we approach it calmly.

It was important to rectify the situation after Lens and Rennes.

We did it.

We are going to the Vélodrome with the objective and the desire to qualify.