- 6 months ago
Rosenior and Gusto on Chelsea's daunting trip to PSG
10/03/2026
UEFA26 champions league
10/03/2026
UEFA26 champions league
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SportsTranscript
00:25Okay, good evening and thank you for joining us for our matchday minus one press conference
00:30ahead of tomorrow's UEFA Champions League round of 16, first leg against PSG.
00:35We're joined at the top table by Malagusto and head coach Liam Rossini.
00:40We'll take questions from the floor.
00:42If you can wait for the microphones and for the translation afterwards if required.
00:47Who would like to get us underway?
00:49Nizar, just in the front here please.
00:53Hi, it's a question for Liam really first and foremost.
00:56Where did you watch the Club World Cup final?
00:58Because it's one of the most significant results in Chelsea's recent history.
01:01Do you remember it?
01:02I do, I was in my front room back in Derby.
01:06It was a late one and it was a great game.
01:10I knew it was going to be a great game.
01:12You know, two fantastic teams.
01:14It was an outstanding performance from the guys on the day.
01:18But in terms of the relevance for now, I don't think it has much relevance.
01:22The context is completely different and it's something that we need to focus on the now and not focus on
01:27the past.
01:28Do you not think it may be as relevant for the players at least?
01:31Because it was a major achievement for the club and things like that.
01:34And were you there as well at the Club World Cup for a bit?
01:36Did you visit?
01:36I visited, I watched the game against Benfica when there was a storm and we got delayed for two hours
01:43with five minutes to go.
01:45You know, being part of the group, it gives you an insight.
01:50And I managed to watch that and a few training sessions, which was great at the time.
01:54And to see the guys then go on and win the trophy, it was magnificent.
01:58It's an amazing achievement for the club.
02:00And we want to create many, many more memories like that in the future.
02:04Just on the end here, please.
02:08Myriam Benzala, Sport & People News.
02:11Face à Paris, tenant du titre, quels sont...
02:16Attendez, excusez-moi.
02:20Alors, quelles sont les forces et les qualités de Chelsea?
02:24Et vous, à titre personnel, comment vivez-vous ce retour en France en tant que coach de Chelsea?
02:29Merci à vous.
02:33I had an incredible time, an incredible experience in this country.
02:38In a magnificent league with magnificent coaches and great players.
02:42It was a fantastic experience in my career and one I'll never forget.
02:46To be back here so soon, I didn't expect from my last game with Strasbourg.
02:52I'm very, very proud of being now the Chelsea head coach.
02:56But I want to create more good memories.
02:58I'm really going to enjoy this moment.
03:01But the only way you really enjoy the moment is to win the game.
03:03And that's what I'm focused on right now.
03:06We'll go.
03:07Kieran, second row, please.
03:10Hi, guys.
03:12For either of you, really.
03:13Since the Club World Cup, a fair few people probably tried to belittle that achievement.
03:20Saying, you know, Mickey Mouse beating PSG.
03:24They were knackered.
03:25It was a one-off.
03:26Do you not think that adds motivation to then prove it wasn't a fluke tomorrow?
03:33I'll let Malau ask this when he played.
03:34He was magnificent in that game.
03:37Can you repeat this?
03:38Yeah.
03:40I was focused on...
03:42The Club World Cup, a lot of people tried to belittle it, saying it wasn't a serious competition.
03:49Beating PSG was a one-off.
03:50Does that give added motivation to prove it wasn't just a one-off, a fluke tomorrow when you go up
03:57against them?
03:59I mean, I think tomorrow will be completely different as a context.
04:04It's Champions League, so it's so much different.
04:09But yeah, of course, as a player, I remember that we won against them in the Club World Cup.
04:15I don't think it was something too easy.
04:18But we just have to take this as an advantage tomorrow and show our best and show our qualities.
04:25Just while I have you, Malau, I think you've had a fair few meetings about discipline.
04:30I think it's fair to say, because nine red cards this season.
04:34Have you guys sort of taken that on board and sort of accepted responsibility for gathering up that collection of
04:42red cards?
04:44Yeah, I think it's something that we have to improve for sure.
04:48We know that it's always complicated to be sent off during the game, of course.
04:56But yeah, now we just have to improve.
04:59That's the only thing that I can say to take our responsibility is and help the team as much as
05:05possible.
05:05With our red card, it will be much better for sure.
05:09Gentleman at the back, please.
05:13Bonjour, Liam.
05:14Giovanni Castelli pour la chaîne L'Equipe.
05:15En France, depuis quelques semaines, il y a beaucoup de critiques sur le jeu du Paris Saint-Germain.
05:20Vous les avez affronté en début de saison avec Strasbourg au Parc des Princes.
05:24Ça avait été un 3-3, un match magnifique.
05:26Est-ce que vous trouvez que les critiques sur le jeu du PSG sont justifiées sur les dernières semaines?
05:30Et selon vous, qu'est-ce qu'ils font moins bien que la saison passée?
05:33Merci.
05:36I think PSG was so good last year.
05:41The football I saw, obviously, I was here in this country witnessing them go through their journey to win the
05:46Champions League.
05:47And I was admiring it as the Strasbourg manager.
05:50When you have success, people want to knock you down.
05:53And that's normal.
05:54That's a part of life.
05:55I'm sensing that here at Chelsea as well, since I've become the manager here.
05:59When you are a top-level club, people, when things aren't going so well, they will speak about it more.
06:06I won't speak about the difference between now and then.
06:09And what I will say, in terms of the quality of the team, in terms of the quality of the
06:13opposition manager, they're world-class.
06:15They're world-class and it would be crazy to not expect anything else.
06:18I expect a very difficult challenge, tactically, physically, technically, whereas they have some world-class players.
06:26They have a world-class manager, so we do too.
06:29We have world-class players.
06:30I think it's going to be a great game for the neutral.
06:32We have to remember it's a two-legged game.
06:35And we have to make sure we have discipline and focus in terms of that aspect.
06:38But I think, in terms of a draw, I think it makes for an exciting game for the neutral.
06:44Bobby, in the middle here, please.
06:46Just right in the middle.
06:52Question for Malo, please.
06:54How does it feel, now being a France international and playing in the French capital?
07:01Yeah, great feeling.
07:03I think it's a good period for me, for the club.
07:08As well, for the national team, because we have great competitions coming up.
07:13So, yeah, just trying to enjoy the moment.
07:15Just trying to be the best version of myself on the pitch.
07:19And to help my team as much as possible.
07:21So, yeah, can't wait for the future.
07:24Matt, in the front here, please.
07:26First question for Liam.
07:28You've got lots of big decisions to make, clearly, for a big match.
07:31How difficult is the goalkeeping decision for this game?
07:36And are you prepared to give us any clues?
07:38No.
07:39Of course not.
07:42With this squad, every position is a difficult decision.
07:46That's how it has to be for us to be successful.
07:48We have a fantastic squad full of top, top players.
07:52And not even just the star in XI making a decision who's on the bench is difficult.
07:56And that's the job that I'm here to do.
07:59We'll make that decision in terms of the goalkeeping position,
08:02in terms of the number nine or number ten or number seven position.
08:06And I've said before, for me, the goalkeeper position is no different to an outfield position.
08:11I will pick what I think is the right choice for each game.
08:14And you'll see what decision I make tomorrow when the team sheets come out.
08:17And Malo, can I just ask you, as a defender,
08:20does it make much difference to you stylistically
08:24which of the two goalkeepers you're playing in front of?
08:30No, I don't think so.
08:31Like, we're all training in the same way that I'm in the training ground.
08:37We know that we all have qualities players.
08:41So, yeah, no, I mean, we just have to stick to our plan,
08:46everyone has to be connecting in the same page as well,
08:49to have the same ID and, yeah, to do our best on the pitch.
08:55The gentleman in the fifth row, back there.
08:59Question for Liam.
09:01Two months ago, you said that when you arrived in Strasbourg,
09:04French media describe you as a joke.
09:07So I was wondering, do you have these feelings that
09:09maybe French journalists have a lack of respect towards your work?
09:14No, the French media were incredible to me.
09:17Incredible to me in my time.
09:18I enjoyed my time in France massively.
09:21I enjoyed my time with Strasbourg,
09:22which I will always hold a place for that football club in my heart.
09:26I will look back in my life and say it was one of the best experiences in my life.
09:29I have a huge respect for French football, for Liga.
09:33It's a fantastic league.
09:34And I thank everybody involved for giving me the experiences that I've had.
09:39Jack.
09:40Just here, please.
09:42Second in.
09:44Liam, for both clubs, playing in the Club World Cup and going so far to the final,
09:50it's had a big impact on both of their seasons with injuries and maybe inconsistency.
09:54Obviously, you've not been here for the entirety of that,
09:57but how much of a challenge have you seen it as?
09:59And is it something the players have spoken to you about?
10:02No, if you speak about it too much,
10:04it becomes something that you don't want it to be.
10:09Yeah, in my time, like I speak in my time,
10:11I've tried to manage the minutes, the training load that we do,
10:15the intensity that we train in.
10:18A lot of staff have had an input into that,
10:20and we've worked really collaboratively in terms of that.
10:23The idea is to try in these moments, in the crunch games,
10:27to be as strong as possible.
10:28I think if you look at our squad now,
10:31Levi's back in modified training.
10:32It will still take him time.
10:34Jamie Gittins is back.
10:36We're working really, really well in terms of our injury load,
10:38and that has to continue.
10:40And Malo, whereas between these two games,
10:44you've got to play Newcastle in the Premier League between,
10:47PSG's game has obviously been moved.
10:49I just wondered what, as a player, you made of that decision,
10:52whether you think it's something that's fair for both sides.
10:57I think, of course, they will have a low advantage in terms of recovery,
11:00but to be honest, we don't really think about it.
11:04We know that it's a tough period for us as a game,
11:10because there's a big game coming up, of course.
11:13So, yeah, we just have to be prepared on it.
11:15We can't wait to play that kind of games.
11:17I think that's why we're here in Chelsea,
11:19because we want to play that kind of game.
11:22So, we're really going to enjoy it.
11:23And, yeah, we just want to show our best, of course.
11:27Gail, the fourth row here, please.
11:32Liam, when I spoke to Luis Enrique earlier,
11:34he said he wasn't really surprised that you'd taken a big step up
11:39and done as well as you've done.
11:41And a lot of the French journos have been really interested
11:44to hear how you've gone.
11:46You've packed an awful lot in, haven't you, to two and a bit months.
11:50What do you think has been your biggest learning,
11:53and what do you feel could make the difference over these two legs,
11:56about what you've learnt from your side and learnt about?
11:58From the last two months?
12:00Yeah.
12:00Since you arrived back, because they've seen this upward trajectory,
12:04but from your point of view,
12:07do you feel very different in what you're doing day to day?
12:09Do you feel like you've learnt something that could be significant
12:12over these huge games?
12:13I don't look at it over the games.
12:16I look at it as the bigger picture, the next game.
12:19I've always said that.
12:20Since coming in, it's been mentioned how confident I am as a person.
12:25I'm even more confident now with my group
12:27because I've got to know players like Malo.
12:30I've got to know the players in a better way.
12:32I think they've got to know me and my demands
12:34and the way that we play as well.
12:36I think it's a nice fit.
12:37I think I'm not just speaking about these games.
12:40I'm speaking about what we want to achieve in the long term.
12:43I'm more confident after coming in after two and a half months
12:46than I was when I first came in,
12:48and that's down to the players and what they've given me in that time.
12:52Malo, for you, Liam's spoken a lot about getting a 90-minute performance,
12:58that concentration, that not setting fire to points moments that you've had.
13:02How ready is a group?
13:03How have you spoken about that this week?
13:05Because if you can get everything right tomorrow night
13:08and in the second leg,
13:10then you can go on as a group and do something very special, can't you?
13:15Yeah, I think, first of all, anything can happen in the game.
13:19We know how football is.
13:22As you said about the performance,
13:25it has to be 90 minutes.
13:26As you said, it's two legs as well.
13:29Tomorrow we'll be the first one,
13:30so we have to focus on this one
13:33and see how it goes for the next.
13:36Jacob, in the middle here, please.
13:39If we can keep it to one question each, please,
13:41so we can fit in as many as possible.
13:43Hi, Liam.
13:43Going back to the final last summer,
13:45it was quite a bad-tempered end to the game.
13:48There's a lot of focus on...
13:49I wasn't there.
13:50I know you weren't there.
13:51A lot of focus on Luis Enrique
13:53appearing to catch João Pedro in the face, potentially.
13:57I mean, there's the potential, maybe,
13:59that there's some needle going into the game.
14:02Do you consider that water under the bridge?
14:04Do you feel...
14:05Will you feel the need to talk to your players
14:08about the importance of not rising to any provocation?
14:10No, for sure.
14:11If you are at the top level, at the elite level,
14:15you need passion, you need to have a want to win.
14:18Luis Enrique is somebody...
14:19I've said it before while I was here in France,
14:21not just as a coach, as a player.
14:23What a player.
14:24What a player he was.
14:26Could play any position on the pitch,
14:27and he's taken that intelligence
14:29into his unbelievable managerial career.
14:31He's someone who already knows how much I respect him.
14:34And if you are used to winning,
14:36you have to have an edge.
14:37You can't always be nice.
14:39That's finished.
14:39That's gone.
14:40What we do know is we have to have,
14:42within the limits,
14:43a passion about us and intensity to win this game
14:46because PSG will win us.
14:47That's what it takes to win trophies.
14:50Peter?
14:51Hi, guys.
14:51A question for Malo.
14:53I think you would have played with Bradley Barkela.
14:56Could you just tell us a little bit
14:58about your relationship with him,
14:59what his development has been like,
15:01and I'm sure you're looking forward
15:03to facing him tomorrow.
15:05Yeah, great relationship.
15:08We grew up together in the academy in Lyon.
15:11So, me, as a friend,
15:13because we're close,
15:14I'm really happy to see him
15:16to play for this team,
15:18to play this level.
15:21So, yeah, I'm very happy
15:22to play against him as well tomorrow.
15:24So, it would be a great one.
15:26The gentleman at the back, please.
15:27Hello, Malo.
15:28Giovanni Castelli,
15:29H&L Equipe.
15:29If you can answer in French,
15:30it's great.
15:32There's the conference
15:32of the France team
15:33who arrives at the end of the month.
15:35Jeudi, there's the list
15:35of Didier Deschamps.
15:37Malheureusement, for him,
15:38Jules Koundé,
15:38he's blessed.
15:39Is it that you say
15:40that the two matches
15:41face at PSG,
15:42it's a good way
15:43to show you
15:44that you can be a little
15:45plus qu'une doublure
15:46au poste de latéral droit
15:47en équipe de France?
15:48Merci.
15:50Oui, je pense que ça peut être
15:51une bonne opportunité pour moi.
15:54Que je sois là ou pas,
15:56moi, mon objectif,
15:57il est toujours le même.
15:58Voilà, je veux montrer
15:58que je peux jouer,
16:01que j'ai des qualités,
16:03que j'ai les qualités pour.
16:04Donc, oui, je pense que ça va être
16:05un bon test,
16:06donc je suis très pressé
16:07pour tout ça.
16:09Oui, je suis toujours prêt.
16:11Toujours, toujours.
16:12Liam, in the front here, please.
16:16Hi, Liam.
16:17Just on Luis Enrique,
16:19you've said some nice things
16:20about him already,
16:21but are there things
16:22about the way
16:22that his teams play
16:23that you've taken
16:25as an influence
16:26as a coach
16:27and what do you think
16:28are the most important things
16:29that your team needs to do
16:30to compete against his team?
16:32Yeah, I don't have
16:34too big an ego to say
16:35that I don't look
16:36at other coaches
16:36that I respect
16:37and appreciate
16:38and take things from them
16:40and put it into my own
16:42way of thinking,
16:43my own way of playing.
16:43I'll be very honest,
16:44I said this last year,
16:45I showed the Strasbourg
16:46players' clips of PSG
16:48last year,
16:48their intensity,
16:49the way that they ran
16:50and pressed the ball
16:51because they were
16:51magnificent in that time.
16:54For me, football,
16:55I want to win.
16:56Trust me,
16:57I want to win tomorrow,
16:57but you can show respect
16:59in many ways as a coach
17:00and I think the biggest
17:01mark of respect
17:01as a coach
17:02is when other coaches
17:03look at your game
17:04and say,
17:05I like what you do
17:06and it's been nice
17:08because it started
17:08to happen to me
17:09and I think that's
17:09what football's about.
17:11Okay, we've got time
17:12for two more questions.
17:13Ben in the middle
17:14and then Dom.
17:16Hi Liam,
17:17I appreciate your focuses
17:18on football
17:19but I wonder what
17:20your reaction was
17:21as Chelsea lifted
17:22the Club World Cup
17:23with Donald Trump
17:24in amongst them
17:25in light of the
17:27open letter
17:27that you wrote
17:28and ahead of this game
17:30the PSG president
17:31is actually trying
17:33to arrive later
17:34than you
17:34because he's delayed
17:35due to the political
17:37climate in Qatar.
17:39So how did you react
17:40seeing Trump mixing
17:41with the Chelsea players
17:43and do you stand by
17:44the comments still
17:45from your open letter?
17:47Yeah, politics.
17:49Nice.
17:52Paris for politics.
17:53No, I didn't think anything.
17:55I was focused on the football.
17:56I was delighted for Mello
17:57and the guys.
17:58I know we're the same group.
18:00I was delighted for Enzo
18:01as a coach.
18:02I was delighted for the team.
18:03It wasn't about
18:04who was on the stage
18:05that I was thinking about.
18:06What I would say
18:07in terms of politics,
18:08in terms of what I think
18:09is always with respect
18:11for a different idea.
18:13It's really sad
18:14the place we're in
18:15at the moment
18:15in the world.
18:17Regardless of what you think
18:18when there are people dying,
18:22that's not a good place to be
18:23and I hope
18:23we can get to a place
18:25in our society one day
18:26where these things
18:27don't happen anymore.
18:28I'm not going to speak
18:29about other people.
18:30I have huge respect
18:31for everyone
18:32as long as they have respect
18:33for me
18:34and for people in general.
18:35My job is to be
18:36a head coach
18:37of this amazing football club
18:38and focus on the football.
18:40And we'll finish with Dom.
18:42Liam, on a slightly
18:42different topic.
18:45Chelsea and PSG
18:46are two of the four
18:47youngest teams
18:48in Europe's major leagues
18:49this season
18:49and they're the two
18:50youngest teams
18:51who are still left
18:52in this competition.
18:53I know that the business
18:54end of this competition
18:55is still to come,
18:56obviously,
18:56but what do you think
18:57it shows
18:58in terms of what you can do
18:59with a young squad?
19:00You've been asked
19:01a lot about that
19:01with regards to Chelsea,
19:02but with these two teams
19:03in general
19:04because, of course,
19:04PSG are the defending champions.
19:06Exactly.
19:07They won it last year.
19:09I love working.
19:10It doesn't matter the age.
19:11I love working with good players.
19:12If you work with younger players,
19:14their ceiling is higher,
19:15their potential to grow
19:16is higher
19:17and that's, I think,
19:18one of the reasons
19:19why I'm here.
19:20I'm loving working
19:20with this group
19:21regardless of the age
19:22but I am very excited
19:24because of the age
19:25to Ian Mello.
19:26They told me
19:27our Audi is in the car
19:29on the way here.
19:30The potential
19:31that this guy sat next to me
19:32have is unbelievable.
19:3422?
19:3522 talking about
19:36going to a World Cup
19:37with France,
19:37one of the biggest nations.
19:38I have 20, 22 players
19:40like that to work
19:41with every day.
19:42Not only their ability
19:46or their quality
19:47or their physicality,
19:48their temperament,
19:48they're humble,
19:49they want to improve,
19:50they want to learn
19:51and it's a joy
19:52working with them every day.
19:53I'm very excited
19:54where we can go
19:54on our journey.
19:56And matches like tomorrow,
19:57for example,
19:57can help to garner
19:59their experience as well
19:59and make them more experienced.
20:00For sure.
20:01That's how you get experiences
20:02to give experience.
20:04I can't wait
20:04for the game tomorrow.
20:05It's going to be
20:06two outstanding young teams
20:08who play
20:09in their own identity
20:10and in their own style.
20:11Okay.
20:12Thanks, guys.
20:12See you tomorrow.
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