Luis Enrique warns PSG it must reinvent itself daily to defend Champions League crown

Winning two Champions League titles in a row is already a feat. Winning three, something only Real Madrid, Ajax and Bayern Munich have ever done, is another matter entirely. That's exactly the challenge Luis Enrique has put in front of his PSG side ahead of the start of their title defense this Wednesday against Slovan Bratislava at the Parc des Princes.

The Spanish coach is under no illusions: there's no element of surprise left. Every rival is going to come out swinging against the champions, so it's time to change the mindset. "Everyone is excited and motivated to play against us," the coach admitted. "We have to accept that and get out of our comfort zone. I'm ready to prove that you have to reinvent yourself every day."

The comment is no accident. It comes just as PSG go through an unusual start to the season for a reigning European champion: just two points out of a possible nine in Ligue 1 and six goals conceded in three matchdays. Numbers that would set off alarm bells at any other club.

But Luis Enrique has seen this movie before. Last season, the team also took time to hit its stride before ultimately claiming both the French league and the Champions League. What's more, in each of the last two seasons, PSG had to get through a preliminary round under the Champions League's new format before diving fully into the competition.

"If we only look at the results, it's a disastrous start to the season," the coach admitted. "But as a coach, you know how to evaluate and judge everything that happens on the field. There are things to improve, but I think we deserve more points." Asked about the defense, which has been shakier than usual, he preferred to play down the drama: "We haven't always had luck when opponents have taken their shots. We've conceded some very good goals. I'm not worried. We'll see at the end of the season what we deserve. I'm calm, but we need to improve."

Self-criticism from the locker room

Captain Marquinhos also stepped up to take responsibility. The Brazilian defender didn't hide the fact that there's room for improvement: "As a defender, it's especially painful when you concede goals. We've conceded quite a few at the start of this season. We watched the videos and we're working to keep getting better. We just have to be honest and sincere with ourselves and see what we can do better. We have a coach who's honest with us, and we know what we need to improve."

PSG's goal in this Champions League is to finish directly in the top eight of the league phase and avoid the playoff round before the round of 16. That won't be easy: the draw handed them a tough schedule that includes Manchester City, Barcelona and Aston Villa among their opponents. "I push the team all the time," Luis Enrique added. "I'd like us to finish in the top eight and avoid the playoff, but with such a difficult draw you're going to drop points along the way. It'll be like the last two years, tough to qualify."

In the transfer market, the club opted for continuity. PSG was the European team that brought in the most money from sales this summer, more than 400 million euros (about $464 million), but it only let go of players who were backups for Luis Enrique. The one major departure was Bradley Barcola, in the biggest deal of the summer window. In return, PSG brought in Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche, Mika Godts, Lucas Digne and Alessandro Longoni, reinforcements who are still finding their footing. "We have to evaluate and support each player individually," the coach explained. "We try to give them precise information so they can adapt as quickly as possible."