FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - OGC Nice v Paris St Germain - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - May 15, 2024 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique on the pitch before the match REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo
(Reuters) - Paris St Germain begin life without Kylian Mbappe when the Ligue 1 season kicks off this weekend but manager Luis Enrique found himself still facing questions about the departed player at his press conference on Thursday.
The long-running saga of Mbappe's transfer to Real Madrid finally ended at the beginning of June when the French forward joined the LaLiga side, but if PSG's manager thought the theme of his press conferences would change, he was mistaken.
Mbappe's Real career began with a goal in their Super Cup 2-0 success against Atalanta on Tuesday and, inevitably, when he faced the media before Friday's trip to Le Havre, Luis Enrique was asked by a Spanish journalist if he had watched the game.
"My God these Spanish people are boring... I didn't imagine you were going to ask me a question about Kylian again," the manager 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."
PSG will now need to find goals elsewhere after Mbappe went out on a high with his best-ever season at the club, netting 44 times in 48 games, and the coach is looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.
"If someone else scores 40 goals, that would be great," he 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."
PSG were unbeaten away from home in the league last season but had a tough battle at Le Havre, where keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was sent off early on and they secured a 2-0 win only with a goal in the 89th minute.
They were also held 3-3 at home by the same opposition late in the season and Luis Enrique expects another difficult task as his side begin their league title defence.
"Despite the result, it was tough away to Le Havre. We really had to dig in and we will face the same difficulties this time," the Spaniard said.
"Our aim is to start the season in the best possible way and to make our fans happy from the first game. We are ready and delighted to get started."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
