Luis Enrique says Khvicha is “business as usual” for Paris Saint-Germain despite a serious injury to Kvaratshelia.
Kvaratskhelia has long been embroiled in controversy after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in PSG’s 4-2 win over Barcelona in the Champions League.
Ousmane Dembele also missed out on the win, with last year’s Ballon d’Or winner now expected to miss several weeks. Marquinhos also had a problem against Barca.
Monday’s PSG clash was postponed for a day due to ongoing protests in the French capital.
However, Luis Enrique insisted that PSG’s absence will not change the way he approaches games.
“It will be business as usual. I don’t want to change anything I’m doing, but I want to change,” Luis Enrique told reporters.
“You have to do that to stay unpredictable. It depends on the team and the time of year.
“It’s true, it’s strange to lose three players in the same game. It’s a motivation for us as a team. We’re moving forward.”
Luis Enrique answered the question about Quaratxhelia’s mood: “It’s a difficult injury. You think about the player, what he’s going through. It’s difficult, but you have to stay positive.
“When you’re a professional player and you want to have a 10-15-year career, you have to have injuries. You have to try to find positives, and there will be some. He’s very important for us and he will be.
“Being a professional footballer is a risk. You have to accept the pros and cons, that’s life. You have to overcome it to show what kind of footballer he is. We’ll see after the operation. He’ll come back stronger, I have no doubt.”
“Lion”, the leader of the current league, has collected 14 points from 7 games played in Ligue 1 this season.
It is the fewest points total for a leader at this stage in the era (since 1994-95), equaled by Lyon and Paris SG in 1999-00, Nice in 2002-03 and Monaco in 2023-24.
The first team to score 5 goals! #ShotOnPixel
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 23, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
PSG – Desiree Doue
In the absence of Kvaratshelia and Doue, it will be more on Desire Doue to lead PSG’s attack, although the youngster is more than capable.
Doue scored against Barca in midweek and has now been involved in 16 goals in his last 16 Champions League games.
Lyon – Tyler Morton
Morton lead the way in League One this season (eight), ahead of Doue (five).
He also created four chances, although the ex-Liverpool man is yet to manage an assist or a goal this term.
MATCH PREDICTION: PSG WIN
PSG are favorites according to the Opta model, but they have lost three of their last six Ligue 1 home games against Lyon (W3), as many as they have lost in their previous 30 such meetings (18 D9).
The two-time European champions have conceded at least one goal in their last seven matches (10 outings) against Lyon in Ligue 1, their longest current streak against one opponent.
Lyon are leading Ligue 1 at this stage of the season for the first time since the end of the 2020-21 MD19. PSG was also second to Lyon at that point.
PSG have scored in their last 52 Ligue 1 home games (132 goals) since a 0-0 draw with Lorient in August 2023 in Luis Enrique’s first game in charge.
They could equal the longest streak of the past 50 years, set by Monaco from September 2015 to April 2018 (53).
OPTA WIN probability
PSG – 62.9%
Win – 18.9%
Lyon – 18.2%