"Do you think I was happy with what I saw against Bayern?" : Galtier defends his choices... and gets annoyed

We are silent and we work

PSG

TV

Obviously there is a big disappointment after the defeat against Bayern, but it was only the first leg, there is a second leg.

But in this difficult period, we must be silent, work and above all enjoy being together.

Before that, there is Lille, five days after Bayern and the three defeats … We will see what will happen in the coming weeks.

It will air out the calendar and we will have classic weeks (Marseille on February 26 and Nantes on March 4, editor's note).

Hoping that the players who have been absent for a while can return to the group and work, work and work, and that those who have minor sores can be available in the weeks before Marseille and Nantes.

It's an unfortunately airy calendar (due to the elimination in the Coupe de France, editor's note).

It's like that.

In these difficult times, it is even more necessary to take refuge even more in work.

We will have a number of sessions at that time and they are welcome.

I spoke quickly after the match, Kylian (Mbappé) too, as you know… Yesterday (Thursday), it was a day off.

I spoke on the phone with Luis Campos and my president (Nasser Al-Khelaïfi).

This morning (this Friday), individually, I met some players.

He is one of the executives and also the child of the club, he knows perfectly well the responsibilities that one has when one wears the PSG jersey, he knows the environment well and he has a thirst for playing because he has been deprived of matches and training for many months.

His return is really an asset, an added value, even if he is not yet at 150% of his potential.

It is important.

And he's a left-hander, that's also important in the game. He has this ability to be a natural leader.

We need mental freshness, determination, desire and to defend as we move forward.

He has this ability.

I see the remarks… Wearing the PSG jersey is difficult.

Even more when you are a foreigner and even more when you arrived late.

In the history of PSG, there are very great players who have had a much longer adaptation time than people could estimate.

It's like that.

There is the club, the importance, the weight of this shirt, the environment, the city, which make some players take a while, even more when they are foreigners and even more when they have reached the end.

So I'm going to be very specific: you have Fabian Ruiz and Carlos Soler who arrived last, very late, who were behind in all areas, preparation, adaptation, accommodation, and who take some time to find their level.

We are talking about internationals.

Conversely, Vitinha, who is in a difficult period like the team, in the first three months everyone had his name in their mouths.

We can integrate that we have a shot less well at a certain time for many reasons, perhaps the World Cup... On the other hand, we are not talking about Nordi Mukiele in this paper (from L'Équipe) .

For what ?

He is a Parisian, he knows the French championship.

He had no problem adapting and integrating since he is at home.

We can't put all the evils of the earth on the rookies in this bad series.

Viti was very efficient, at a very high level at one time and he is less well.

Mukiele integrated very quickly because he is French and Parisian.

He arrived, he landed, he put his furniture, he saw dad, mom,

To make choices, you have to have a choice.

Without responding to the wickedness and vulgarity of some, and I accept all kinds of remarks, criticisms, you are in your role, your job and I am in my position, but you have to have a choice.

When, before Bayern, I had decided to start Fabian Ruiz and surely to play in another way, and he feels great muscular discomfort 48 hours before the match, that reduces the choice even more!

When you start with Achraf Hakimi very uncertain and suffering from pain after 20 minutes (he came out at the break, editor's note), that limits the choice even more.

When the workforce is complete, the choices relate to performance and investment.

I cannot tell you that I am unhappy with the investment of my players,

that I will protect until the end.

They work.

And performance?

No.

But to make choices, you have to have the possibility, you need competition, and currently, there is very little of it.

The same tactical approach against Lille as against Bayern?

Are you kidding me by asking me that question?

Do you think I was satisfied with what I saw against Bayern?

I wasn't satisfied but my players didn't have much to do with it.

There was this game plan in relation to the available squad.

Do you think it was something that I had worked on to start Warren (Zaire-Emery) in such an important Champions League match at under 17 after having chained almost two matches?

Circumstances meant that I saw no other way than to try to contain Bayern Munich and then enter a second phase with the entry of Kylian.

When he came in, it created more situations for Bayern but we

situations have also been created and we have regained our game. I respect your question, but if you think that I liked seeing my team play the way they played against Bayern for an hour, with a lot of respect, it's because you disrespect me a little.

(...) PSG must play attacking, attractive football, not spectacular but effective in order to win.

Afterwards, if the players can bring spectacle and pleasure to the spectators and television viewers, we will not deprive ourselves of it!

There was a change of coach (Paulo Fonseca took over from Jocelyn Gourvennec).

Even if they remained on the defensive principles that Jocelyn Gourvennec had maintained, it took time to adapt to their coach's philosophy of play.

For some time, their game has been well established.

They are a very dynamic and very playful team who always intend to play to score goals.

It took a little time to adapt with the change of coach.

Adaptation time which has now passed and it is a team which will fight for a European place.