Paris Saint-Germain begin their latest quest for Champions League glory next week, but the extra workload required in the competition this season will not change Luis Enrique's approach.

PSG face Brest in Ligue 1 on Saturday, having made a perfect start to the season with three wins from three games to sit two points clear of Marseille, Nantes, Monaco and Lens.

They then face Girona in the first of eight matches in the Champions League's league phase on Wednesday, with the competition's new-look first round running until January.

However, Luis Enrique's approach to managing his squad's workload will remain the same.

He told reporters: "It's true, the schedule is a bit different but I don't think it is going to change the way I work as a coach.

"I have principles that I think are best for the team. It is always good to have around 20 players who think they can play, rather than 12 or 13. That is something that has always produced the best results for me.

"Now we are playing every three days with an intense schedule. I am still calm. Of course players can get injuries or suspensions but I am confident that we can manage all of that this season."

Midfielders Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery are unlikely to feature on Saturday after picking up injuries while representing Portugal and France during the international break.

PSG could also be without Gianluigi Donnarumma after the goalkeeper became a father and Luis Enrique has yet to make a decision on the Italian's involvement.

Bradley Barcola has excelled for PSG this term, netting as many goals in their first three league games (four) as he managed in the entirety of 2023-24.

He was also on target for France versus Italy last week, but Luis Enrique is keen to avoid putting pressure on the 22-year-old, saying: "It would be easy to protect the players without journalists. 

"Right now everyone is talking about Barcola. People said he couldn't play in the past, that he wasn't ready for the Champions League. But we're lucky that he is very sensible, humble and hard-working.

"In the season there are highs and lows for everyone and we have to manage that. The press always want something black or white, but that is not how it is."

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos believes the club have an "electric coach" in Luis Enrique and has praised his "special touch".

Luis Enrique succeeded Christophe Galtier in July 2023, signing a two-year contract with PSG.

In his first season in charge, he won a domestic treble, winning the Ligue 1 title by nine points, and also led the team to the Champions League semi-finals, where they were beaten by Borussia Dortmund.

In 53 games in 2023-24, Luis Enrique oversaw 34 wins (64.15% win percentage), with his team scoring 124 goals across all competitions and conceding 52.

And Campos has been pleased with the results he has seen from the Spaniard so far.

Speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal, Campos said: "Above all, I must tell you that it is a great pleasure to work with Luis Enrique every day.

"He is someone fantastic. His involvement, his energy, his electricity. That's why he is very modern.

"We are in a moment when everyone is looking for electricity for cars. We have an electric coach, who is very modern, who forces us to give our best every day and who makes the team work as a team.

"It's a pleasure to work with Luis Enrique. He is a huge coach. Special and very good."

PSG lost their biggest star at the end of last season, with Kylian Mbappe choosing to leave the club on a free transfer, ending a seasons-long saga by joining Real Madrid.

The French club brought new faces in during the off-season, with the likes of Matvey Safonov, Willian Pacho, Desire Doue, and Joao Neves coming into the squad.

Campos believes PSG were able to stick to their transfer strategy, with Neves a perfect example of getting a player they hope can seamlessly slot into Luis Enrique's style.

"What we seek is competent players, players capable of playing the game that Luis Enrique wants, and players capable of responding to what our president also demands, in terms of dignifying the name of the club, dignifying the city, and dignifying the country," he said.

"Joao Neves met the profile of the coach. The coach needed a player with this profile. We discussed it. I never hired a player that the coach didn't want.

"Joao had that profile. And we did everything to have him with us.

"I think he's responding. He's still in the adaptation phase. He'll have normal highs and lows like someone who arrives for the first year to a club as big as PSG, although he comes from a very big club with many requirements. In Paris, it's different.

"We're very happy with the arrival of Joao, as we're very happy with the arrival of Doue, with the arrival of Safonov, with the recruitment we did. We're very happy."

Despite Safonov's arrival, Gianluigi Donnarumma is still set to be PSG's number one and is now playing in his fourth season in Paris.

He has made 117 appearances in all competitions since joining from Milan, keeping 40 clean sheets in that time.

In the past, Donnarumma has come under scrutiny for making mistakes, despite making just one error that led to a goal in Ligue 1 last season, and Campos thinks he has been treated too harshly.

"No. I think there is more external noise around Donnarumma than internal noise," he added.

"Internally, we are very happy with him, and we will try to renew his contract."

Luis Enrique is confident that Paris Saint-Germain's 3-1 win against Lille will stand them in good stead ahead of their quest for Champions League glory. 

The Spaniard watched on as his side took their scoring to 13 from their first three Ligue 1 games and maintaining PSG's perfect start to the campaign. 

Vitinha's penalty and Bradley Barcola's strike gave the visitors an advantage at the break, with Randal Kolo Muani scoring in second-half injury time to confirm the win after Edon Zhegrova had halved the deficit.

The Parisiens enter the international break two points clear of Marseille at the summit, but their attention will quickly to the Champions League later this month. 

Enrique's side have been handed a difficult draw for the competition, squaring off against European heavyweights Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid as their standout encounters.

They kickstart their campaign against Girona on September 18, with the PSG head coach confident that their victory over Lille, who will also compete in the competition this season, was a good test for his players.

"It was an away game against a team who play in the Champions League, who have already played several games and have a very different rhythm to us," Luis Enrique said.

"It was a very good test for us, it was a Champions League match for us. I'm pretty happy with the team's performance."

The revamped Champions League format has been extended to 36 teams this season, with each playing eight fixtures in the first round of the competition. 

PSG return from the international break with a fixture against another Champions League hopeful, Brest, four days before they begin their journey for that elusive maiden European title.

"There's the match against Brest after the break and that will have nothing to do with the Champions League and its new format," Enrique said. 

"I can't know what that will be like. My team is showing signs of confidence but we still lack physical rhythm in several of our players.

"The Champions League is very different and full of new things." 

Luis Enrique is confident that Paris Saint-Germain's 3-1 win against Lille will stand them in good stead ahead of their quest for Champions League glory. 

The Spaniard watched on as his side took their scoring to 13 from their first three Ligue 1 games, maintaining PSG's perfect start to the campaign. 

Vitinha's penalty and Bradley Barcola's strike gave the visitors an advantage at the break, with Randal Kolo Muani scoring in second-half injury time to confirm the win after Edon Zhegrova had halved the deficit.

The Parisiens enter the international break two points clear of Marseille at the summit, but their attention will quickly to the Champions League later this month. 

Enrique's side have been handed a difficult draw for the competition, squaring off against European heavyweights Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.

They kickstart their campaign against Girona on September 18, with the PSG head coach confident that their encounter with Lille, who will also compete in the competition this season, was a good test for his players.

"It was an away game against a team who play in the Champions League, who have already played several games and have a very different rhythm to us," Luis Enrique said.

"It was a very good test for us, it was a Champions League match for us. I'm pretty happy with the team's performance."

The revamped Champions League format has been extended to 36 teams this season, with each playing eight fixtures in the first round of the competition. 

PSG return from the international break with a fixture against another Champions League hopeful, Brest, four days before they begin their journey for that elusive maiden European title.

"There's the match against Brest after the break and that will have nothing to do with the Champions League and its new format," Enrique said. 

"I can't know what that will be like. My team is showing signs of confidence but we still lack physical rhythm in several of our players.

"The Champions League is very different and full of new things." 

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique is confident his players can adapt in the absence of Goncalo Ramos to continue their impressive start to the season.

PSG have taken to life without Kylian Mbappe with ease, scoring 10 goals in their first two Ligue 1 fixtures, equalling their highest tally after two games played (also in 2022-23).

The Parisiens have welcomed four new faces during the transfer window, signing Joao Neves, Desire Doue, William Pacho and Matvei Safonov. 

Luis Enrique was dealt a blow, however, in PSG's opener against Le Harve, with striker Ramos forced off with an injury that will cause him to miss three months.

But in his absence, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele have starred in front of goal, with Luis Enrique now focused on bringing the best out of the players available.

"We want to sign players, and their prices were very high. I have the players I have, I'm happy with their level, now I have to develop their potential," Luis Enrique said.

"As a nine, we can play with [Marco] Asensio, Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani, Barcola, Ramos, Warren [Zaire-Emery], [Achraf] Hakimi, Vitinha, Fabian [Ruiz], Neves... that's 10. It's the same with the defenders.

"I've got some very versatile players, which fits in with the plan we wanted for this team. Pacho, Doue and Neves — they can play in lots of different roles... so I have a lot of options in my team."

PSG will seek to claim an elusive Champions League trophy once again this season, but have been handed a difficult draw in the competition's new league phase.

Luis Enrique's side will face Girona in their first game in the competition, but will also square off against European heavyweights Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.

"My impression of the draw is that it's a new competition, a new format," Luis Enrique said. 

"It's obvious that statistically we were the least favoured but I can't judge this competition because we don't know it.

"We'll say that this is a competition that we're going to try out and we've been the least lucky."

Bradley Barcola is confident he can make a difference for Paris Saint-Germain this season in the absence of Kylian Mbappe after his brace against Montpellier. 

Barcola, who has three goals in two appearances already this season, starred for Luis Enrique's side during their 6-0 win in first home game of the new campaign. 

The 21-year-old opened the scoring at the Parc des Princes with a brilliantly taken finish from the left-hand side before completing his maiden brace of his career with a simple finish in the second half. 

Barcola registered the most shots (four) and touches in the opposition box (seven), while also contributing 1.17 expected goals (xG) to PSG's 3.9 total. 

He has now been involved in eight goals (five goals and three assists) in his last seven top-flight appearances for the club, and he is sure that this is his year to take centre stage. 

"I had a lot of fun, I felt free. The coach asked everyone to press together. You have to make a lot of effort, but you get used to it as you go along," Barcola said.

"I've realised that I can make a difference. Pushing the ball like that on the first goal is something I've been doing since I was very young."

PSG have now scored 10 goals in their opening two games of the league season, equalling their highest tally after two games played (10 also in 2022-23), all without last year's leading marksman Mbappe. 

Enrique's side managed 27 shots in their encounter with Montpellier, 11 of which were on target, something the Spaniard felt was coming after witnessing their ruthless streak in training. 

"I'm very happy because it's our first home game. We wanted to give the fans some joy. It was a perfect evening," Enrique said. 

"I felt it in training, the intensity of the pressing increased. We scored six goals but we could have scored 10. Today was our night... the players were incredible. It's a great feeling."

PSG continue their league campaign at the Stade Pierre Mauroy next week when they face Lille, who face Angers in their second game of the season on Saturday.

Paris Saint-Germain will not rush into the transfer market even after losing striker Goncalo Ramos to injury, head coach Luis Enrique pledged on Thursday.

Ramos injured his ankle in last week's 4-1 win at Le Havre and is expected to be out for up to three months in a major blow to the French champions, who were already believed to be in the market for attacking reinforcements after losing Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.

Luis Enrique, however, says PSG will not be pressured into paying over the odds for any player, with Ousmane Dembele, Lee Kang-in, Randal Kolo Muani and Bradley Barcola now the forward options at his disposal.

"It's a shame, it's always sad when you lose a player, but it doesn't change anything," Luis Enrique told reporters ahead of Friday's clash with Montpellier.

"We have a very good team, I have great confidence in all the players who make up my squad.

"We already have a team here which won the league, so we are observing the transfer window and we will see if a player comes up at a normal price. If it is a silly price, we won't. We are not in a rush."

The former Spain boss then explained how PSG face unique difficulties in the market, adding: "When a big team like Paris Saint-Germain has to buy a washing machine, instead of €4 it costs €400, and then the washing machine has to work like a washing machine that costs €400, but it only cost €4.

"But we have already worked well last year with magnificent arrivals and this year I already have a team that has improved in all areas.

"So we have no emergency, I repeat, no emergency, but I repeat, we are always attentive and likely to improve things at the same time."

Luis Enrique expects a difficult test against Montpellier on Friday, despite the Ligue 1 champions beating the same opponents 3-0 and 6-2 last season.

"It's difficult because it's the beginning of the season, there is no team that is 100% yet," he said.

"But we have a lot of hope, we are very motivated, tomorrow's match means getting back in touch with our supporters and we hope to win at the end and for the fans to have a good time, that's our goal." 

Luis Enrique believes Goncalo Ramos' injury is "serious" after the forward limped off early on in Paris Saint-Germain's opening day win over Le Harve. 

Ramos, who scored 11 goals for PSG last season, was forced to withdraw from the action at the Stade Oceane in the 20th minute following a late tackle from behind. 

The Portugal international provided the assist for Lee Kang-In's strike inside three minutes, with only Angel Di Maria starting a game, delivering an assist and being subbed off earlier than Ramos in a Ligue 1 fixture. 

His withdrawal serves as a significant blow for Enrique, who is looking to replace the 27 league goals scored by Kylian Mbappe last season after his move to Real Madrid. 

"I’m not a doctor but I think it looks pretty serious. I don’t know how many weeks he will be out injured but it’s serious," Enrique said. 

Despite the convincing scoreline, the defending champions took advantage of a late collapse from their opponents, scoring three times in the final six minutes after Gautier Lloris had levelled the encounter three minutes into the second half. 

Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani struck late, with new signing Joao Neves becoming only the second player to deliver two assists for his debut with PSG in the same game in all competitions in the 21st century. 

But Enrique acknowledged that his side relaxed after Kang-In's opener, saying the encounter "wasn't easy at all" in Normandy. 

"It wasn't easy at all. Maybe we started too calmly. We scored a goal very quickly and that relaxed us a bit too much, and we suffered a bit," Enrique said.  

"I think in the second half we had more chances, more clear-cut chances and we were able to kill off the match. But it was difficult.

"We're clearly a team that's trying to play to its strengths. It's true that it was in the last part of the match that we performed best.

"We had some important players in the team and it's always difficult to play away from home. It's complicated and today we did it again."

Luis Enrique said questions regarding Kylian Mbappe are "boring" as Paris Saint-Germain begin life without the Frenchman this weekend against Le Havre. 

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in June, scored on his maiden outing for Los Blancos in their 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win against Atalanta on Wednesday. 

The 25-year-old became the first Madrid player to score on his competitive debut in the Super Cup since Marco Asensio did so against Sevilla back in 2016. 

And despite no longer being a part of Luis Enrique's squad, the PSG head coach was asked by a Spanish journalist if he had watched the encounter unfold in Warsaw. 

"My God these Spanish people are boring. I didn't imagine you were going to ask me a question about Kylian again," Luis Enrique said as he shook his head.

"But I don't have anything to hide. I have always adored Kylian Mbappe and he is a unique and exceptional person. I wish him the best, and that Madrid lose against us."

The Parisians will need to find a new source of goals for the upcoming season after Mbappe posted his best figures in a campaign since his move from Monaco in 2018.

Mbappe managed 34 goal contributions in Ligue 1 (27 goals and seven assists), with Goncalo Ramos (12) and Ousmane Dembele (11) his closest challengers. 

However, Luis Enrqiue is relishing the challenge that lies ahead as he goes in search of a fourth major honour at the Parc des Princes. 

"If someone else scores 40 goals, that would be great," Enrique said.

"But based on my experience, it is better to have four players scoring 12 - that would make 48, which is more than 40.

"I think it's a fascinating challenge. It's a challenge to show that football is a collective sport."

Luis Enrique said questions regarding Kylian Mbappe are "boring" as Paris Saint-Germain begin life without the Frenchman this weekend against Le Havre. 

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in June, scored on his maiden outing for Los Blancos in their 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win against Atalanta on Wednesday. 

The 25-year-old became the first Madrid player to score on his competitive debut in the Super Cup since Marco Asensio did so against Sevilla back in 2016. 

And despite no longer being a part of Enrique's squad, the PSG head coach was asked by a Spanish journalist if he had watched the encounter unfold in Warsaw. 

"My God these Spanish people are boring. I didn't imagine you were going to ask me a question about Kylian again," Enrique said as he shook his head.

"But I don't have anything to hide. I have always adored Kylian Mbappe and he is a unique and exceptional person. I wish him the best, and that Madrid lose against us."

The Parisian's will need to find a new source of goals for the upcoming season after Mbappe posted his best figures in a campaign since his move from Monaco in 2018.

Mbappe managed 34 goal contributions in Ligue 1 (27 goals and seven assists), with Goncalo Ramos (12) and Ousmane Dembele (11) his closest challengers. 

However, Enrqiue is relishing the challenge that lies ahead as he goes in search of a fourth major honour at the Parc des Princes. 

"If someone else scores 40 goals, that would be great," Enrique said.

"But based on my experience, it is better to have four players scoring 12 - that would make 48, which is more than 40.

"I think it's a fascinating challenge. It's a challenge to show that football is a collective sport."

Luis Enrique said questions regarding Kylian Mbappe are "boring" as Paris Saint-Germain begin life without the Frenchman this weekend against Le Havre. 

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in June, scored on his maiden outing for Los Blancos in their 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win against Atalanta on Wednesday. 

The 25-year-old became the first Madrid player to score on his competitive debut in the Super Cup since Marco Asensio did so against Sevilla back in 2016. 

And despite no longer being a part of Enrique's squad, the PSG head coach was asked by a Spanish journalist if he had watched the encounter unfold in Warsaw. 

"My God these Spanish people are boring. I didn't imagine you were going to ask me a question about Kylian again," Enrique said as he shook his head.

"But I don't have anything to hide. I have always adored Kylian Mbappe and he is a unique and exceptional person. I wish him the best, and that Madrid lose against us."

The Parisian's will need to find a new source of goals for the upcoming season after Mbappe posted his best figures in a campaign since his move from Monaco in 2018.

Mbappe managed 34 goal contributions in Ligue 1 (27 goals and seven assists), with Goncalo Ramos (12) and Ousmane Dembele (11) his closest challengers. 

However, Enrqiue is relishing the challenge that lies ahead as he goes in search of a fourth major honour at the Parc des Princes. 

"If someone else scores 40 goals, that would be great," Enrique said.

"But based on my experience, it is better to have four players scoring 12 - that would make 48, which is more than 40.

"I think it's a fascinating challenge. It's a challenge to show that football is a collective sport."

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente says world football should take note after La Roja's Under-23 side claimed Olympic gold in Paris on Friday.

De la Fuente oversaw a record-breaking fourth European Championship crown with victory over England last month, and Spain's youthful Olympic side followed up that success in the French capital.

Sergio Camello came off the bench to score twice in extra time, beating hosts France 5-3 to add the Games' top prize to their glittering trophy cabinet.

De la Fuente, who led the Under-23 side to silver at Tokyo 2020 before taking the senior role, believes Spanish football deserves more credit.

"We are not aware of what we have achieved this year and we do not value Spanish football enough. Let's get rid of our prejudices, really, almost no team can achieve this," De la Fuente told reporters.

"Also the Under-19 team, Under-21 European runners-up last year... Let's give importance to what has been achieved, this is historic, we have lived an epic story that will go down in the history of the Olympics and Spanish sport."

La Roja were losing finalists at Syndey 2000 (versus Cameroon) and Tokyo 2020 (against Brazil), but their victory in Paris sealed a remarkable year for all involved with Spanish football.

Since an iconic Spain team featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique won gold on home soil at Barcelona 1992, La Roja had been reduced to the role of nearly men at the Games.

Yet that has all changed now, and coupled with their success at Euro 2024, an era of Spain dominance appears set to continue in world competition.

Sturm Graz came from two goals down to secure an unlikely draw against Paris Saint-Germain in their first game since Kylian Mbappe's move to Real Madrid. 

Ibrahim Mbaye and Carlos Soler had given the Parisiens a two-goal advantage with just 12 minutes on the clock, but their Austrian opponents would respond. 

Amady Camara would pull a goal back for the hosts three minutes later, with Otar Kiteishvili levelling the scores just before half-time. 

Substitute Marco Asensio had the opportunity to win the encounter late on for the Ligue 1 champions, but Luis Enrique started his pre-season preperations with a draw. 

PSG opened the scoring at the 28 Black Arena through 16-year-old debutant Mbaye, bouncing the ball over the onrushing Daniil Khudiakov after being found by Asensio. 

Soler, who captained the side in Austria, found the target three minutes later when Randal Kolo Muani's cross picked him out unmarked inside the area. 

But Kamara halved the deficit in double quick time, picking the pocket of Naoufel El Hannach on the edge of the area before finishing beyond Matvey Safonov. 

The comeback was completed in the 43rd minute in some style, as Kiteishvili took aim from distance to find the bottom corner. 

Data Debrief: PSG struggle without stars

Enrique is without some of his top performers in front of goal, but his PSG side had more than enough quality on the pitch to claim victory in Austria. 

The Parisiens accumulated an expected goals (xG) of just 1.06, 0.18 fewer than their opponents. PSG managed nine shots in the encounter, four fewer than Sturm Graz.

16-year-old Mbaye did impress on debut, however, recording the most shots (three), shots on target (two) and touches in the opposition box (four) than anyone in the PSG side. 

Kylian Mbappe has revealed that some people at Paris Saint-Germain made him "unhappy" in his first news conference since joining Real Madrid.

The Frenchman announced last month that he was leaving PSG after seven seasons at the club, and his long-awaited move to the Spanish capital was confirmed on Monday.

He has signed as a free transfer on a five-year contract with Madrid and will officially make the move in July when his PSG contract expires.

Speaking to the media ahead of France's friendly against Luxembourg, Mbappe addressed speculation over his situation at PSG prior to his move.

"Everyone knows the news, it's official, I'm going to be a Real Madrid player for the next five seasons," he said.

"It's an immense pleasure, a dream come true. It's very exciting. I am very happy, liberated, relieved and extremely proud. This is the club I've always dreamed of being at, so I want to thank them.

"I wasn't unhappy at PSG, that would be a slap in the face of the people who defended me - I have always been happy.

"But certain things made me unhappy, but a player like me couldn't show that because I am a leader, so I tried to be as positive as possible. The coach, the players and the employees of the club supported me, and it would be bad form to come and moan and say that I was unhappy. But certain things and people made me unhappy."

Last season began in turmoil for Mbappe, who was left out of the PSG squad due to an argument with the club's president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, over his contract renewal.

The France captain has highlighted Luis Enrique as the main reason for the turnaround, as he finished the season with 44 goals, winning Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France.

"[The club] made me understand that I wouldn't play, they told me to my face, they told me violently," he added.

"Luis Enrique and Luis Campos saved me. I wouldn't have set foot on the pitch again without them.

"Just the fact I was playing was a great source of pride, but it's certain that next year I won't be satisfied with a year like that."

Kylian Mbappe revelled in a "dream come true" after completing his long-awaited blockbuster move to Real Madrid.

The France captain signed a five-year deal with the newly crowned Champions League winners, who he will join as a free agent in July when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires.

Mbappe, who was heavily linked with a move away, officially announced his departure from the Ligue 1 champions in early May, bowing out after Luis Enrique's side completed the double with victory in the Coupe de France.

The forward was expected to join Madrid in the 2021-22 season, but rejected the opportunity in favour of signing a two-year contract extension with PSG.

However, two years later, Los Blancos have finally got their man, who took to Instagram to share his delight at joining "the club of my dreams".

"Nobody can understand how excited I am right now!" Mbappe told his 116 millions followers. "A dream come true. So happy and proud to join the club of my dreams."

Mbappe departs PSG as the club's all-time leading scorer with 256 goals, with 44 of those coming in 48 appearances last season.

He now turns his attention to Euro 2024, where Didier Deschamps' France will be targeting their third European crown and looking to go one better than their run to the 2022 World Cup final.

Les Bleus, who complete their preparations with friendlies against Luxembourg and Canada this week, begin their campaign against Austria on June 17, while also facing the Netherlands and Poland in Group D.