“What do you think of this Maccabi Haifa team?
As soon as we knew our draw, we worked a lot on our opponents and certainly more on Maccabi. We weren’t surprised by this team, well organized, with a lively game, and very technical players. The coach advocates an intense, aggressive game in the right term. It’s no coincidence that they bumped into us in the first leg. They then beat Juventus. In the analysis that we did, we identified very dangerous players.
Can you explain how Fabian Ruiz has been working in recent weeks?
He had a complicated preparation, he was about to leave, and he was training alone. He came in short on a physical level. We had to be patient, we knew that. He needed some time to adapt. He came to training very early, he left later. He is a player identified for a very long time by Luis (Campos) and myself, who we saw playing here, against PSG, when he was playing in Naples.
“Don’t think we’ve abandoned the three central system. It is an advantage to have two organisations, two systems”
You said in mid-September that Neymar was the player who brought balance to your team. Does it still have this role in your new system?
We changed the system for different reasons. We played two matches in this organization. Whatever the organization, you always have to run, and even if tomorrow (tuesday) we had to evolve in this organization, we need the efforts of each other. But it is true that it is more precise defensively for the player who plays under the two attackers.
Does this four-man scheme allow you to put your attacking players in the best position?
Don’t think we’ve abandoned the three central system. It’s an advantage to have two organizations, two systems. A first that worked well at first but got stuck for different reasons. I had a reflection to use the quality of our workforce and our attackers. I asked my staff to have a reflection to have the maximum use of my squad and put the players in their best position. I thought it was time to do things differently.
Was Ruiz’s rise to power the key to system change?
I have a quality environment and it was necessary to wait for them to gain momentum. Fabian plays in a position that is usual for him, in a preferential zone. Modifying an organization requires very specific players and Fabian is that.
What do you think of Renato Sanches’ performance?
We know its strengths. Unfortunately, he faced a lot of physical glitches that caused a loss of time compared to his partners. I saw the comments following his performances and I thought it was important that he could start in Ajaccio. He was scheduled to play for an hour. We don’t yet have the Renato that everyone could hope for. I know he is a very high level player and when he is in full possession of his means, he will be at the level of his partners. Like Ruiz, Soler… players have to be given time to adapt.
Can injuries, which are repeated at the moment, be a given in your match preparations?
Competition generates injuries and players who can make the World Cup have this obsession. But the more you think about it, the more it can happen. You have to prepare well, recover well. I will make sure to have the best management of the workforce. It’s PSG above all and if we can, through our performances, air the calendar of some, of course I will. »