Motivation crucial for PSG in making Ligue 1 history, says Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique said ensuring his Paris Saint-Germain players stay motivated will be key to becoming the first team to go unbeaten in a single Ligue 1 season.

PSG clinched their 13th top-flight title at the start of April, beating Angers 1-0, and they have since booked their place in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Parisiens have already won the Trophee des Champions, while they also reached the final of the Coupe de France, where they face Reims.

Though their focus may be on lifting their first Champions League trophy, with Arsenal up next in the final four, the league still has a lot to offer for Luis Enrique's team.

No side in the competition's history has ever gone a full campaign unbeaten, with PSG just five games away from becoming the first to ever achieve the feat.

They travel to the Stade de la Beaujoire to face relegation-threatened Nantes on Tuesday.

"We are very motivated because we can set a record of the European team in the big five leagues with the longest unbeaten run away from home," Luis Enrique said.

"We are really motivated because we do want our unbeaten title. As for the situation in the table, Nantes are fully motivated as well, so we know how difficult it is."

Luis Enrique was able to rotate his squad for their 2-1 win over Le Havre on Saturday, making nine changes from their Champions League second leg loss to Aston Villa.

The Spaniard, however, suggested allowing some of his players time to rest and recover is what has been key to their success on the pitch this term.

"Without doubt, that is the challenge that we face at the moment and that is the challenge for coaches," the manager said.

"Because it can be hard to motivate everyone, particularly the ones who are less involved, but I feel very lucky because my players are responding in the best possible way and turning in top-level performances.

"I would like them all to get more playing time, but it is difficult to do that because to do that I have to stop high-level players from playing."

"You need to manage the physical and emotional workload.

"That goes for teams that are very exposed and play every three days, so it can be hard to have days off and when you give a player a day off it is crucial.

"I think we are one of the teams with the longest Christmas break. We had 10 days, and we gave the players two weeks off where we could, and they were able to make the most of it."