Luis Enrique Defends PSG Form as Nuno Mendes Rests

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has defended his team's early-season performances while managing player workloads ahead of the club's Ligue 1 match against Le Mans on October 10, 2026. PSG sit sixth before the sixth round of fixtures, and the Spanish coach has challenged what he considers overly extreme assessments of the team's form.

The club will also be without Nuno Mendes for the home fixture after granting the Portuguese left back several days of rest following an intensive international break. Ousmane Dembele is receiving the same treatment, with PSG planning separate returns to training for the two players.

Enrique criticized the sharp contrast in media assessments depending on whether PSG win comfortably or struggle early in the season.

"If we win easily, it's because the opponents are not good and we're unbeatable. But if we start the season the way we have, we're catastrophic and won't win Ligue 1 or the Champions League. You journalists are always extreme," Enrique said at a news conference, according to Foot Mercato.

The coach's remarks came before PSG's meeting with Le Mans, as the team seeks to improve its position in the French league. His comments addressed the changing tone of external assessments rather than accepting the most negative conclusions about the club's prospects.

PSG confirmed that Dembele and Mendes had received permission to rest in coordination with Enrique and the club's sporting management. According to CulturePSG, Dembele was scheduled to resume training on Saturday, October 10, while Mendes was expected back on Sunday, October 11.

Mendes' workload with Portugal was a significant factor in the decision. During four international matches, the defender played 348 of a possible 360 minutes under coach Jorge Jesus, leaving him with just 12 minutes of rest across the fixtures.

For comparison, CulturePSG reported that Neves played 65 minutes and Cristiano Ronaldo played 67 minutes during the same international period. Mendes' limited rest included Portugal's September 24 match against Wales, when he had to signal to the bench that he needed to be substituted.

The 24-year-old defender spent his break in Portugal, where he shared glimpses of his time in Lisbon on Instagram. He also visited Comporta, south of Lisbon, and stopped at a shop he opened in the capital with friends.

Enrique indicated that rest periods would remain part of PSG's player-management approach this season, with the coaching staff considering individual workloads when planning training and match participation.

"You have to get used to it because this will be typical this season," Enrique said Friday, explaining the decision to give Mendes and Dembele time off, according to CulturePSG.

The rest period comes before a demanding run of fixtures involving Manchester City, Strasbourg, Barcelona and Olympique Lyonnais. PSG are managing their squad ahead of that sequence, although Mendes will miss the Le Mans match.

Lucas Digne is expected to fill the vacancy at left back after not being called up to the France national team during the international break. Mendes is scheduled to return to PSG's training campus on Sunday, with a session planned for 11:30 a.m. following the Le Mans fixture.