Luis Enrique downplays the impact of PSG’s Champions League title on Ligue 1 tactics, stating that opponents have consistently played defensively against them. PSG has started the season strongly, but Enrique expects a tough match against a motivated Toulouse side. Key players to watch include Yann Gboho for Toulouse and Fabian Ruiz for PSG. PSG enters the match as favorites, but Toulouse’s home form suggests they could pose a threat.
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique believes that winning the Champions League hasn't altered the way Ligue 1 teams approach matches against his side. Despite PSG's newfound status as European champions, Enrique insists that opponents continue to employ defensive tactics, a trend he says predates their continental triumph.
PSG has started the 2025-26 season strongly, securing maximum points from their opening two fixtures with consecutive 1-0 victories over Nantes and Angers. This places them among a quartet of teams leading the league table early in the campaign. This weekend, they face another of those teams, Toulouse, in what promises to be a challenging encounter.
Enrique's men come into the new season riding a wave of confidence following their dominant 5-0 victory over Inter in the Champions League final in May. This victory marked a significant milestone for the club, finally realizing their ambition of conquering Europe. However, the PSG boss remains pragmatic, suggesting that their status as champions hasn't fundamentally changed the tactical approaches of their domestic rivals.
"We’re used to playing against teams that defend well against us. We have our own style of play, which means our opponents often sit deep," Luis Enrique stated, emphasizing that this tactical reality is not a new phenomenon. He added, "I don’t think our status as European champions has changed anything. It was already the case before. We’re used to it, and we’re ready for it.”
Despite the expectation of facing a defensively organized Toulouse side, Enrique is not underestimating the challenge posed by Carles Martinez Novell’s team. Toulouse has enjoyed a strong start to the season, securing impressive wins against Brest and Nice. Enrique acknowledges the difficulty of playing away from home and anticipates a tightly contested match.
"I expect it to be a difficult match, as it always is away from home. We expect them to sit deep and leave us very little space," Enrique noted. "They are on a good run, having won their first two matches of the season. We need to win this match because we want to continue on our path, which is well under way.”
Preparing for #TFCPSG pic.twitter.com/c3uQIBspNx
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 29, 2025
Looking at players to watch for Toulouse, Yann Gboho stands out. Since the start of last season, Gboho has completed 60 dribbles in Ligue 1, second only to Moses Simon. His attacking intent is clear, having attempted 19 dribbles in the first two matchdays of the 2025-26 season – at least eight more than any other player.
For PSG, Fabian Ruiz has been in fine form, scoring four goals in his last 10 matches in all competitions, equaling his total from the previous 51 matches. In his recent game against Angers, Ruiz demonstrated his attacking prowess with three shots and a joint-match-high 32 final third entries.
PSG heads into the match at the Stadium de Toulouse as favorites, having scored in each of their last 11 away games in Ligue 1, accumulating an impressive 32 goals. Their last longer streak was between January and September 2021, during their first 15 away matches in the top-flight level under Mauricio Pochettino.
Toulouse, however, have shown their own attacking capabilities, finding the net in 16 of their last 17 home games in Ligue 1. The sole exception was against PSG on February 15, 2025. Historically, Toulouse have struggled against PSG at home, winning only two of their last 14 Ligue 1 home games against the defending champions. Their last two victories were against Montpellier in 2013 and PSG in 2016. They also have a poor record against PSG, failing to win any of their last five home games against the Parisians in Ligue 1. A defeat on Saturday could equal their longest winless streak at home against PSG.
Opta's win probability gives Toulouse a 15% chance of victory, a draw is at 20%, while PSG are given a 65% chance of taking all three points.