Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has hailed his Ballon d’Or-winning forward Ousmane Dembele for a “marvellous” performance as the French club began their bid to claim a third straight Champions League title with a big victory. “That was the Ousmane that we all know and that we have seen over the last three years, and when you see the ability he has to create and to press, to help the team, it is a real pleasure,” PSG’s Spanish coach said after Dembele scored the first two goals in PSG’s 6-1 thrashing of Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday. Prior to this, Dembele had been used sparingly in PSG’s matches so far this season as he builds up his fitness again after the World Cup. “He played really well. He will build up his fitness gradually, but it is marvellous to see a player like that,” Luis Enrique added. Dembele also set up two goals for Ferran Torres, who netted a hat-trick on his European debut for PSG.
Fabian Ruiz got the home team’s other goal. PSG ran out easy winners despite Luis Enrique leaving both Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue, two of his other key attacking performers, on the bench. “Kvara and Doue are incredible players. For me, Kvara could win the Ballon d’Or, as could Dembele and others,” said the coach, with 10 PSG players listed among the 30 nominees to win the most prestigious individual award in the game. Enrique was also full of praise for his opposite number Yaya Toure, who is in charge of Slovan this season, despite the heavy defeat for the away side. “It is difficult to play away to the team that has been champions in the last two years, but I love the way they try to play,” he said. “Today was not the best day for them because we showed it can be very difficult to play against us when we press at that level.
It is difficult for any opponent, but he has the quality to be a great manager.” The former Ivory Coast, Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder is the first African to coach a team in Europe’s elite club competition. After leading them through three qualifying rounds to get to the league phase, Toure acknowledged that it was impossible to compete with the defending champions. “For me, Paris are going to be close to winning the trophy again, and my players gave their best, but it wasn’t easy. They are exceptional,” said Toure, who was appointed by the Slovak side during the close season. “I can’t put four men on Dembele. I want my team to play too, and they did all they could. “I was disappointed today because Ousmane hasn’t looked at his best in the last few games, but tonight he was at 200 percent,” he joked. “I have been working with these players for just a few months, and now they understand how good the very best teams are.
There is a considerable gap between the sides, but this will help us to grow and get better.”
