"No injury means that a new player must be recruited." That was Luis Enrique's line on Paris Saint Germain's response to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's injury, with the winger expected to be off the pitch until the end of the season. The coach's point was simple enough, PSG do not have to turn every setback into a signing.
Luis Enrique's stance on recruitment
Speaking to So Foot, Luis Enrique said PSG were open to the market if needed, but not because of injuries. He added: "I already said at the start of the season that we could remain the same team, even with two or three injuries." The club are not short of attacking output either. Kvaratskhelia has made 7 Ligue 1 appearances, scored 1 goal and added 1 assist for PSG this season.
The injury came after Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos were also affected against FC Barcelona, which is why the episode has looked busier than a routine absence. Even so, PSG have won 4 of their last 5 matches and have won all 3 of their Champions League matches. That is a strong enough run to back the idea that rotation can hold the line without an emergency move.
Monday's Lyon fixture
The other moving part is the calendar. PSG's clash with Lyon was postponed to Monday due to the large-scale demonstrations expected in France this weekend, and the Paris police prefecture requested that the match be played on another date. Luis Enrique's tone has stayed calm, even if the fixture now arrives in a rescheduled slot.
Lyon are first in Ligue 1 with 14 points from 7 matches, level on points with PSG in second. The match still has the edge of a top-of-the-table meeting, and Paris Saint Germain vs Lyon is now set for Monday rather than Sunday.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
