Here we go again for a football season! And like every year, the kick-off is given by the Trophée des Champions, this “super cup” of France, between the champion of Ligue 1 and the winner of the Coupe de France of the previous season. This year, the Nantes Canaries face PSG on the lawn of Tel Aviv, Israel, from 8 p.m. French time. But this match is above all the first official outing of the new Paris coach, Christophe Galtier.
>> Champions League, locker room, transfer window… The challenges awaiting Christophe Galtier at PSG
And no need to beat around the bush, he knows it, the lights are on him. “Obviously, when you are the coach of Paris Saint-Germain, you have more pressure than elsewhere”, concedes the interested party. Everyone is waiting for it: the Parisian supporters, of course, but also its managers and players. And the new PSG coach is not one to run away from the obvious: “It’s a club that is used to winning trophies. It would be very interesting for everyone, and even me, on a personal level, to start with a victory and win this trophy.”
From there to say that he is under particular pressure? “No, it exists, it is permanent”assures Christophe Galtier, who says he is “happy to train this group, very proud to see the players who make up this group”, “focused and determined”.
Christophe Galthier has been in his new costume for barely a month. But already, he put his paw, on and off the field. There is of course this new system of play, with three defenders, and also a new approach to the locker room. “The coach showed us this human aspect, this aspect between the players, the staff. These are good things that will bring us, especially in a long season”says the captain of the Parisians, Marquinhos.
The Brazilian player “hope it starts well with a title”. But trophy or not tonight, Christophe Galtier entered a new dimension. And even though he knew what to expect, it’s still quite a change for him.
“It’s more like a new life for me than for the group. I observe, I listen and then I discuss. They are great players, I was convinced of that and I’m even more convinced of that when I face because they have great respect for their profession.”
Christophe Galtierat franceinfo
And so far, everything is going well for Christophe Galtier: four victories with PSG in as many preparation matches. But the serious things start now.