PSG manager Enrique downplays injury concerns ahead of the upcoming Champions League encounter with Atalanta
In the ongoing Champions League, PSG and Marseille are set to lock horns at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, following their respective performances in the league phase.
The match between Marseille and Real Madrid, played at the Santiago Bernabeu, started off promisingly for the French side as Timothy Weah scored the opening goal. However, France international Kylian Mbappé levelled from a penalty and went on to score a second, completing Real Madrid's comeback.
PSG's journey in the Champions League has been a mixed bag so far. They defeated Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal to reach the final for a second time, but their tactics came under criticism during the 2024/2025 league phase. A previous experiment by manager Enrique to play Kang-in Lee as a withdrawn centre forward against PSV Eindhoven backfired.
PSG's second choice goalkeeper made a blunder that cost the game against Bayern Munich, and they failed to finish in the eight automatic qualifying places for the last-16, advancing after a two-match play-off against Ligue 1 counterparts Brest.
On the other hand, Marseille opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Real Madrid. Manager Roberto De Zerbi believes playing against PSG will help his team improve and take another step forward. He also expressed optimism about Marseille's potential, stating that the match against PSG will give them the chance to see if they can have a great team in the future.
Injury concerns have been mounting for both teams. Three more players were injured during PSG's 2-0 win over Lens on Sunday in Ligue 1. Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue are missing from PSG's squad due to injuries sustained on international duty for France.
Meanwhile, PSG's opponents for the day, Marseille, have also been hit by injuries. The new Atalanta coach Ivan Jurić, who succeeded Gian Piero Gasperini after Gasperini's nine-year tenure before moving to Roma, has focused on building on the core squad. He retained key players such as the young defender Giorgio Scalvini, rejecting transfer offers for him in summer 2023. However, there is no direct public listing of players specifically "replaced" by Jurić in summer 2023 from the provided search results.
Enrique expects a challenging match against Atalanta due to their quality players and pressing style. Atalanta have one win and two draws from their opening games in Serie A under new coach Ivan Juric. PSG will host Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United, and travel to Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Athletic Bilbao, and Sporting in the league phase.
The upcoming match between PSG and Marseille promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams eager to prove their mettle in the Champions League.
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