PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique is counting on new star signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to improve his team's attack with trademark goals from outside the penalty area.
Kvaratskhelia scored with several spectacular strikes for Napoli, where he averaged a healthy ratio of a goal every three games in Serie A. His strike rate for Georgia is even better with 17 goals in 40 appearances, proving he is a proficient scorer as well as a provider.
“To score from distance you need to have a shot like Kvaratskhelia has, like Marco Asensio, or Vitinha. It’s a positive thing," Enrique said Friday through a translator. “When we buy a player we think he will improve the team. We know Kvaratskhelia well, we already tried to bring him in last season. He will bring something positive to the team.”
Enrique did not say if the flying winger will make his debut at home to Reims in the French league on Saturday.
“I don’t know. We will see, it depends on training,” Enrique said Friday. “That’s not so important, what’s important is that he’s part of our dynamic.”
Ligue 1 leader PSG is nine points ahead of second-place Marseille after 18 rounds, so it seems like an ideal situation for Kvaratskhelia to start. But the club must also prepare to face Stuttgart on Wednesday with qualification at stake from the league phase of the new-look Champions League.
However, Enrique hinted that Kvaratskhelia is ready.
“Physically he’s in very good shape," Enrique said. "He’s adapting very well."
The 23-year-old signed last Saturday from Napoli, having helped to win the Serie A title in 2023. Fans affectionately nicknamed him “Kvaradona” in reference to Diego Maradona, the club's greatest-ever player. In a farewell video posted to his fans he paid homage to Maradona.
Kvaratskhelia's transfer fee was estimated to be 70 million euros ($72 million) without bonuses. He was one of Georgia's best players at last year's European Championship, where the speed of Georgia's dazzling attack — including French-based players Georges Mikautadze (Lyon) and Zuriko Davitashvili (Saint-Etienne) — caused early problems for eventual champion Spain.
He brings pace, energy, dribbling ability and skill to a new-look PSG attack that is finally taking shape under Enrique.
“He can adapt perfectly to our style of play, with his capacity to win one-on-ones, to play inside, or to play as a No. 9 as we saw with the national team,” Enrique said. “I think he’s a player who corresponds to our idea of football.”
Not only that, he is also hard-working and versatile — the type of player Enrique likes.
"He also has a great ability to defend, which is important because we need to attack with 11 and defend with 11,” Enrique said.
After years of relying on superstars for goals, PSG has taken a new approach in the post-Kylian Mbappé era and is relying more on developing younger players like forward Désiré Doué (19), winger Bradley Barcola (22), playmaker João Neves (20) and striker Gonçalo Ramos (23).
It worked on Wednesday night when three of them scored in a 4-2 home win in the Champions League against 2023 champion Manchester City, albeit helped by woeful defending.
With Kvaratskhelia and France winger Ousmane Dembélé operating on each flank, Enrique's attack could become even more dangerous in the second part of the season.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
