Luis Enrique has insisted Paris Saint-Germain were also a "real team" when they had Kylian Mbappe in their side last season.
PSG have made it to the Champions League final, where Inter await, while they will also face Reims in Saturday's Coupe de France showpiece after winning Ligue 1.
The Parisians look a more well-rounded side this season than they did last term, which many have attributed to Mbappe's exit to Real Madrid.
However, asked at a press conference on Wednesday if that was the case, the Spaniard replied: "Last year we were a real team, too.
"I said we would manage to improve the team. Players have arrived, and the numbers show the team's better.
"But we were a team last year, without a doubt. Don't forget that we also played in a Champions League semi-final."
PSG have averaged 2.49 expected goals (xG) per game in all competitions this season, which they have only bettered in 2019-20 (2.58) during the QSI era.
The 4.93 big chances per game they have averaged this term, meanwhile, is more than they recorded in any campaign with Mbappe involved.
"We've scored more goals than last season, and more players have provided assists. Our numbers are exceptional," Luis Enrique added.
"To achieve this, our players need to get the ball to whoever is best positioned.
"Many players scored or provided assists, and I'm very happy not to be dependent on just one player."
PSG did average more goals (2.6 compared to 2.3) and win more points per game (2.3 to 2.2) with Mbappe than without him across his seven seasons in Paris.
Ousmane Dembele has stepped up this season in Mbappe's absence, as he has been directly involved in 44 goals across all competitions.
Yet that team-high for PSG was bettered by Mbappe in five different seasons, with the 26-year-old's best tally coming in 2021-22, with 60 in total.
Pointing to this season's Champions League campaign, which started slowly for PSG, Luis Enrique admitted his side have simply become more efficient.
"We played some very high-level games in the Champions League and lost them, like Atletico Madrid and Liverpool," he said.
"The change was when we broke the deadlock in terms of efficiency. Some players managed to get into better positions in the box.
"We've gone from lamentable statistics to the best in Europe. It's the same version of the team but with efficiency."
AFerPvxp8676
0
Well Kroos was there when Xavi won the league it’s not even dat deep…my take on this is not ancelotti either cos last season he won its all right buh then d coming in of mbappe as well has an effect cos his adaptation to the team took time and that affected players like rodrygo, come to think of it this wasn’t d rodrygo of last season plus your defense too. There Re good players in ur academy buh coaches are different thou. If it just mbappe d only one scoring it’s makes know sense others re not contributing and it’s makes know sense. Let see what Alonso does now dat modric is leaving too now.
But in that season Madrid won 3 trophies in 2022/23
Bode1
0
They aren’t competing with each other there was no tactic no creativity ancelotti was and is the problem you can clearly see it Kroos was the main reason for Madrid success now that he is gone you can see it vini was creating chances he created the most on the Madrid squad this season and the other problem was to many right footed players up top and them all playing on one side of the field
Well Kroos was there when Xavi won the league it’s not even dat deep…my take on this is not ancelotti either cos last season he won its all right buh then d coming in of mbappe as well has an effect cos his adaptation to the team took time and that affected players like rodrygo, come to think of it this wasn’t d rodrygo of last season plus your defense too. There Re good players in ur academy buh coaches are different thou. If it just mbappe d only one scoring it’s makes know sense others re not contributing and it’s makes know sense. Let see what Alonso does now dat modric is leaving too now.
figoe007
0
I just want to hear what will be said when Mbappe and Real Madrid wins the Champions league and La Liga and other trophies from next season on Mapped scored the goals the team needed and when he couldn't,others couldn't step up. or should he also go and defend the goal posts too? yall keep shouting about how it ain't good for a team to depend on one player but it is practically impossible to do. no team depends on one player. you can depend on the player to score goals but you need others to defend and u definitely need one player to use his hands and stop the ball every layer has a role to play in the team all great teams had a talisman but that doesn't mean it is 1v11, the game has always been and will continue to be 11v11 A new coach is coming and hopefully he can get us in a system that helps everyone to shine and play their best especially Mbappe and Vini then, I'll love to read about how the team is better without Mbappe because now everybody....rubbish that story just means the team is at fault cos there was a lot of jealousy now they are happy cos they feel they are all on the same level
Dr-Rogério
0
everyone keep saying mbappe was the problem than what about messi who is regarded the best in the world and what did he do different? champions league and balon dor is won by a team not an individual,the difference is that with the psg now it brought in players who's got good team work than super stars,and madrid adding mbappe just made matters worse cz vinni,rodri and bell already had ego problems each wanting to be the main man
Jitdknops
2
People talk any how ...... Mbappe played final with which Coach? is it Enrique? people talk anyhow .... the PSG football you are watching now, is it the same when Mbappe was in the team? Big difference...,.. Mbappe is a problem even if PSG lost the final which will never happen.... I will not blame them .... they have done well remember dembele might win the balloon d'or which took Mbappe several years .... please don't compare
AFerPvxp8676
1
That’s just the main reasons why I don’t like a club depending on just one player that is why it’s called a group of individual & collective players. Imagine mbappe scoring how many goals how many passes goes to rodrygo meanwhile Vinicius jnr want to compete with mbappe too. If it’s happens again next season they will still not get anything yeah! It’s one of the disadvantages of depending on a single player
They aren’t competing with each other there was no tactic no creativity ancelotti was and is the problem you can clearly see it Kroos was the main reason for Madrid success now that he is gone you can see it vini was creating chances he created the most on the Madrid squad this season and the other problem was to many right footed players up top and them all playing on one side of the field
spartadon12345
0
but he played at final with Bayern wen hans flick was at Bayern ..PSG vs Bayern
and he was the one who cost psg that game with his miss
sheoran57
1
mbappe played final for PSG ..but didn't win....So guys let's hope... anything can happen
But only Neymar was playing that day no one saw where was this mbappe guy
Bode1
1
That’s just the main reasons why I don’t like a club depending on just one player that is why it’s called a group of individual & collective players. Imagine mbappe scoring how many goals how many passes goes to rodrygo meanwhile Vinicius jnr want to compete with mbappe too. If it’s happens again next season they will still not get anything yeah! It’s one of the disadvantages of depending on a single player
duzdiklmn
0
mbappe played final for PSG ..but didn't win....So guys let's hope... anything can happen
duzdiklmn
2
but he played at final with Bayern wen hans flick was at Bayern ..PSG vs Bayern
hans3dominique
3
That’s what real coach do, they not gonna criticize a player just because he’s no longer playing on their team.
Allez_
1
this man should stop talking..
We like when he talks You are free to ignore
UmarHabib
3
feeling sad for Mbappe coz he went to play the champions league final with real but ..........
Wieaepst
2
this man should stop talking..
Faocdmoty
0
now it's a real real real team without him
What did the team do that he didn't do
hutdeopy
1
PRSTOR
Richardoghale
3
The team is now solid 💯
jehbdintyz
2
now it's a real real real team without him