Beating bitter rivals Marseille is just as important for Paris Saint-Germain as expanding their lead at the top of Ligue 1, said Luis Enrique prior to Sunday class.
Defending champion PSG are unbeaten after 25 league matches, with their 65 points that free them 16 from Roberto de Zerbi's second placed Marseille.
This is the seventh time in the last 10 seasons that the League leaders (always PSG) have been at least 10 points from second place after 25 games of a Ligue 1 campaign.
That had only happened three times in the previous 21 campaigns since the switch to three points for a win in 1994-95.
And with the title everything but secured, Luis Enrique knows that the actual value of Sunday's game is in the bragging that they can give their supporters.
“This competition represents one of the best games we can play. We can still give our fans joy,” Luis Enrique told reporters on Saturday.
“The importance of the derby has nothing to do with the rankings.”
Marseille himself enjoyed an excellent first campaign among the Zerbi, whose 60% profit percentage in Ligue 1 (15/25) is the best of each coach who supervises more than two games with the club.
This season Marseille scored 52 goals in 25 league matches, on average 2.08 goals per match.
They only have more average in one season since 1970-71 (2.11 in 2017-18).
“He is going to fight for possession and pressure, with one-on-one. The game is not only an emotional affair, it is also tactical,” said Luis Enrique about his opposite number.
PSG eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League with a memorable penalty shoot-out victory in Anfield on Tuesday, with Desire Doue who turns the decisive kick.
Captain Marquinhos was surprisingly replaced in the second half of the stopping time on Merseyside, but Luis Enrique has reassured fans that the Brazilian was not injured.
“He had some discomfort – it's not an injury at all, he's fine,” he added. “We will analyze the risk to see if we should take it or not.
“He will not get any rest during the international break. I will continue with my rotation, that's how I see the game. We are always competitive.”
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