Speaking at his press conference this afternoon ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s match against Lorient on Sunday, Christophe Galtier notably discussed the prospect of affording more playing time to the squad’s younger players in the Ligue 1 run-in.
Asked about why the likes of Ismaël Gharbi and Warren Zaïre-Emery had scarcely taken to the pitch of late, the manager indicated that the need for results had been prioritised, given the precarious situation of their title defence until now.
The upside to being in the PSG squad for these academy players, Galtier explains, is that they are able to learn from the very best on a daily basis, even if it means they are left with slim pickings for playing time:
“Being regularly in the squad and in contact on a daily basis with World Class players is a privilege, I say it often to them. Eventually, they will play and they’ll be ready. Some have already done so, even when they hadn’t even turned 17 yet. Very few clubs can offer young players the chance to take part in Champions League games.”
“They’re lacking in playing time with their own age groups, but being able to take part in pre-match preparations and being in the squad is a great privilege. Having playing time at PSG is difficult. There was a realy desire to integrate our young players, and they’ve always been there during training sessions.”
The league leaders sit eight points clear of Marseille with six games remaining, with a record-breaking eleventh Ligue 1 title now coming into view after an early-year dip in form. This weekend’s match against the Bretons likely being their rivals’ last hope of seeing the title race open up again, with PSG only facing relegation candidates in their remaining games.
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin