Luis Enrique defends rotations and discusses Dembélé ahead of Strasbourg

By the PSG News newsroom · Published on 2026-10-16 · Updated on 2026-10-16 · luis enrique · maghnes akliouche · psg · champions league

PSG coach Luis Enrique defends his rotation policy ahead of the Strasbourg game and comments on Dembélé and Ligue 1's level.

Luis Enrique, the Paris Saint-Germain coach, held a press conference on Friday, October 16, 2026, on the eve of the trip to Strasbourg, a match scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 17:15 at the Meinau Stadium. He answered criticism of rotations in the league and addressed player management and vacations.

Defense of rotations and critique of Ligue 1's level

Luis Enrique described the remarks that PSG would benefit from a weaker Ligue 1 to better prepare for the Champions League as a form of "noise". He recalled that before his arrival people were saying the club could not win the UCL because of the league's level, and that critiques surface when the press makes rotation choices. For him, the issue is resolved through concrete solutions and the pursuit of continual victories. He emphasized the importance of preparing every match in the short, medium, and long term, without publicly detailing his rotation plans.

Dembélé, vacations and squad management

Regarding Dembélé, Luis Enrique said, in a joking tone, that the player "is the boss" and that he can make vacation requests: if he wants time off, he must submit a request and it can be granted "under normal conditions". The coach also reminded that players cannot always be available and that "going on vacation is also coming to train at the training city", underscoring the level of commitment and presence expected.

Praise for Akliouche and the objective for Strasbourg

Luis Enrique highlighted Akliouche's "high level" of output, specifying that he judges the player on his performance rather than on individual statistics such as goals or assists. He reaffirmed that the press is preparing for Strasbourg like any other match, with a clear objective to win this Saturday, October 17, 2026 at the Meinau Stadium, before hosting FC Barcelona on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 21:00 at the Parc des Princes, in the Champions League.

List of recent results provided by the club:

• Wednesday, October 14, 2026: Manchester City 2-4 Paris Saint-Germain (Champions League, Group Stage, Etihad Stadium)
• Saturday, October 10, 2026: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Le Mans (Ligue 1, Parc des Princes)

Luis Enrique reiterated that Ligue 1 and the Champions League are prepared in the same way and that domestic competition remains a clear objective for the club. He declined to go into team-selection details, leaving post-match player condition analyses to determine the way forward.