PSG: Luis Enrique’s high demands on his substitutes

Ahead of PSG’s postponed match against FC Nantes, Luis Enrique spoke at length about his management of substitutes and squad rotation, with a week to go before the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.

Following a defeat against Olympique Lyonnais at the Parc des Princes (1-2), Paris Saint-Germain host FC Nantes on Wednesday evening in a rescheduled match from the 26th round of Ligue 1. The Parisians will need to beat a struggling Nantes side to take another step towards the title. And with a semi-final against Bayern Munich just a week away, Luis Enrique has not ruled out the idea of rotating a large number of his players. The Spanish manager made it clear that he expects the highest standards from his entire squad.

“I’m going to need plenty of time. My view on substitutes is that we won everything last year thanks to this sort of player. They always trained hard and performed brilliantly when it mattered. It’s the same this year. It would be ridiculous to sign a lot of players. We’ve got a very strong squad. It’s normal to bring in a few reinforcements; it’ll be the same next season,” he explained, citing the example of Lucas Beraldo, who has been moved into the number six role, having “had no opportunities as a centre-back. We saw this possibility in midfield; he’s performing very well, he’s technically gifted and strong. I like the way he’s played.”

Luis Enrique sidesteps the question regarding Lucas Chevalier

“If you don’t know how I manage squad rotation after three years here… it’s up to you to judge and analyse; I stand by my usual view. You have to look at the whole picture. There are still two league games left before Bayern. I could rotate the squad, but I don’t know. It would be very easy to say that I’m managing things very well; I’m aiming to win every game. You have to look at everything in perspective, with experience,” added the Spanish manager, who refused to comment on the Lucas Chevalier situation.

Having been on the bench since 23 January, the French international (1 cap) could make a return for this rescheduled match, but his manager declined to say more: “Our clear objective is to try and win the match; that’s the most important thing. Tomorrow, we’ll decide on the best team for this match.” We’ll find out on Wednesday, when some players may have the chance to earn points for the rest of the season.

OL: the incredible rise of the returning Orel Mangala

After being sidelined for nearly a year, Orel Mangala has been back in action for several weeks. Increasingly relied upon by Paulo Fonseca, the Belgian midfielder is showing he could become a valuable asset for OL’s midfield both now and in the future.

Had it not been for the injuries, his career would surely have taken a different course. Now aged 28, Orel Mangala plays for OL. Once a great hope of Belgian football, the Brussels-born player quickly made a name for himself in Germany before taking his defensive talents to England. After a spell at Nottingham Forest, Lyon decided to sign him in February 2024 on a loan deal with an option to buy for €23 million. Following six successful months between the Rhône and Saône rivers, the Belgian made the move permanent the following summer.

Ultimately, as he did not fully fit into Pierre Sage’s plans, Mangala was loaned out to Everton at the very end of the transfer window. After a promising start with the Toffees, the defensive midfielder’s progress was cut short by a cruciate ligament rupture in January 2025, and he returned to Lyon still carrying an injury. Marked by a body that had let him down, Mangala battled through the longest injury of his career to return nearly a year later with Les Gones. After weeks of recovery, featuring a few substitute appearances and a minor setback, Orel Mangala is now back with Lyon, much to the delight of Paulo Fonseca.

Orel Mangala is stringing together good performances with OL

Two weeks ago, the Gones’ number 5 spoke at a press conference about his return, which he had been waiting for for months and months: “It feels good to be getting playing time. For several months, I had to fight to get back into the team and overcome my injuries; today, I’m happy to be back in the squad. The last few months were very frustrating, but that’s behind me now. I now want to string together matches to help the team.” Starting for the first time against Le Havre on 15 March, Mangala has impressed in every appearance since. This Sunday, his masterclass against PSG showed that he has returned to a very impressive level.

Technically sound and a superb ball-winner, Mangala has shone at the Parc des Princes. Having regained his full fitness, the 28-year-old midfielder is a key asset for Paulo Fonseca as the season draws to a close. A more interesting prospect than Tanner Tessmann, both technically and in terms of his ball-winning abilities, the Belgian has everything it takes to partner Tyler Morton and Corentin Tolisso for the remainder of the season. Could this open the doors to the Belgian national team once again? Having not been called up by the Red Devils since November 2024 due to injury, the midfielder, who has 23 caps for Belgium, is in contention for a place in Rudi Garcia’s squad.