20.10.2014 20:50 h

Blanc confident PSG will rise to the occasion

Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc

Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc said on Monday his French champions need to stay focussed if they are to subdue Cypriot opponents APOEL Nicosia in Champions League action on Tuesday.

Blanc's expensively assembled squad, who will be without last season's top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the trip to Cyprus due to injury, have reached the quarter-finals the past two seasons and are now top of Group F after two matches with four points.

Barcelona, who lost 3-2 against PSG at the Parc des Princes on matchday two, are second on three points, with Ajax a further point back and APOEL on one.

Ajax, play Barcelona on Tuesday at the Nou Camp, before the away teams host the same opposition in the fourth round of fixtures on November 5.

"They are a club who are used to European matches, and have some players like Carlao -- a Brazilian defender who spent six seasons with Sochaux -- who know the French championship well," said Blanc, formerly Bordeaux and France coach.

"When I saw their two Champions League matches this season, especially at home against Ajax (1-1), I realised they are definitely a team to be taken seriously,"

"If we do not have maximum concentration, we will have enormous difficulties and we have to be as determined as we were in Amsterdam (1-1) and against Barcelona (3-2)."

PSG, who were knocked out by Barcelona in the last eight in 2013, on away goals, and suffered a similar fate against Chelsea at the same stage earlier this year, will face an APOEL side more than capable of making life difficult for their visitors.

"We need to impose our game because they are a team who defend very well with two lines of four players and they are not afraid to defend deep," said Blanc.

"They're very disciplined and very brave and the time that they do have the ball, they can put the opposition in difficulty because they are very dangerous on the counter-attack," added Blanc, who has lifted the team into second in Ligue 1, seven points behind Marseille after a stuttering start to the season.

The 48-year-old says his players also find it easier to get themselves motivated for big European matches rather than the routine of domestic duty.

"It's not only the players (who find more motivation), but you the journalists, I'm sure you are more motivated and professional when you conduct an interview with someone important rather than someone unknown," said Blanc.

"When I said that players are more motivated for the Champions League, it is because it is a major objective for the club and there is a lot of pressure in this competition.

"It does not mean that the players are not motivated for league matches but unconsiously there is a better concentration in C1 (Champions League).

"There are only those who haven't played the Champions League who don't understand that. When you hear that famous music (Champions League theme before matches), it really stirs something up inside you," added Blanc.