Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel has said he does not believe Ligue 1 football reduces his side’s chances in the Champions League.
PSG have made a club-record start to the domestic season, winning their first seven matches, but lost their first Champions League game at Liverpool.
“Ligue 1 is a very physical league,” Tuchel told a news conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Nice. “In each team, there are very fast players, dangerous wide men with plenty of speed and endurance.
“Le Championnat is very balanced and of high quality. There are teams like Monaco, Marseille and Lyon but also Lille, Nice and Toulouse, who are strong. I do not agree that Ligue 1 is a problem for us.
“We have our own limits and we have set the bar high for ourselves — it is not easy to win, win and win again.
“This weekend’s game is a good challenge, but do not worry — we will be ready for the Champions League next week.”
Tuchel said he had not spoken to forward Kylian Mbappe since his red card at Nimes before the international break but confirmed that the France international would face Nice after serving his ban.
“He knows that his suspension was harsh,” he said. “We are glad to have him back and he will play.”
Tuchel stressed that PSG needed to be wary of the threat posed by Nice, but said he had no special plan to counter Mario Balotelli.
“Nice like to have the ball,” he said. “They play with four or five defenders. It is up to us to be able to combat them and to prepare well. There is a lot of quality in the team, and matches against Nice are always difficult.
“There is no anti-Mario Balotelli plan, although he is clearly a player with enormous talent — that is clear. He is always a threat when you come up against him as you do not know what will happen.”
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