Paris Saint-Germain are entering decisive days in their season. On top of the confirmed absence of Marquinhos, who will miss the Champions League clash with Barcelona, their coach Luis Enrique has sent a clear warning about the biggest mistake his players cannot afford in such a high-stakes match: a lack of precision in their passing.

The Spanish coach’s message

Ahead of the Ligue 1 fixture against Auxerre, the Asturian coach spoke at a press conference and admitted the team must raise their level after the defeat in the clásico against Marseille. While he avoided speaking at length about the European showdown, he hinted that any imprecision against Barça could prove fatal.

“The players don’t want to make simple mistakes, but we have to accept they’re human. However, if we miss the same number of easy passes as we did against Marseille or against Barça, we’re finished. We’ll improve that tomorrow and ahead of the match at Montjuïc,” said the coach, who is still showing signs of the broken collarbone he suffered in September after a cycling accident.

He also praised Ousmane Dembélé, recently crowned Ballon d’Or winner: “We are the best team in the world, and seeing Ousmane rewarded is fantastic. It was an almost perfect Monday despite the loss, because watching Dembélé share that moment with the fans was unique.”

Injuries complicating the picture

PSG’s medical report confirmed that Marquinhos will be out for several weeks with a left quadriceps injury. The 31-year-old defender will miss not only the Auxerre match but also the crucial clash with Barcelona.

The club also stated that João Neves, Désiré Doué, and Dembélé are still undergoing recovery and remain doubtful for the match in Spain. Despite this, Luis Enrique tried to downplay the concerns: “That’s football. I’m not worried. Marquinhos felt pain in the last play against Marseille, nothing serious, but we can’t take risks. It’s a pity because he’s our captain, but we have alternatives.”

The coach did not rule out turning to academy players to cover the absences. “It’s fantastic to see the excitement of the youngsters when they come into the locker room. Tomorrow some of them may help the team; they have both the physical and technical quality,” he said.

With several key players sidelined and the pressure of defending their continental crown, PSG know the margin for error is minimal. And their coach has already made it clear: giving the ball away against Barcelona could be a costly mistake.