Luis Enrique described Paris Saint-Germain's start to the 2026-27 season as "peculiar" ahead of their meeting with rivals Marseille in Le Classique on Sunday.

PSG make the trip to the Stade Velodrome hoping to sign off for the extended international break with a victory and get their Ligue 1 title defence back up and running. 

The Parisiens are eighth heading into this weekend's action, having taken just five points from their opening four games, though they did beat Brest in their last league match. 

PSG have a goal difference of zero after four Ligue 1 matches in 2026-27 (six goals scored and conceded), the first time they have not had a positive goal difference at such an advanced stage of a season since Qatar Sports Investments' takeover in 2011-12.

However, they have a favourable record in this fixture. Marseille have lost 38 matches against PSG in all competitions in the 21st century (W13 D12 L38), which is 15 more than against any other opponent.

Marseille have won just one of their last 13 home Ligue 1 games against PSG (W1 D3 L9), though this was their most recent encounter, almost exactly one year ago on September 22, 2025 (1-0).

Luis Enrique acknowledges this season has looked slightly different for PSG so far, but he hopes to see the best of his team once the international break comes to an end. 

"Our start to this season has been a peculiar one as we're used to playing every three days," Luis Enrique told reporters.

"I want to see my players on the pitch, but when we only have one game per week, we need to strike a balance between resting and working.

"The pace will pick up again for us after the international break, though."

PSG don't return to action until October 10 against Le Mans, with fixtures against Manchester City, Strasbourg and Barcelona following in the next 10 days. 

But Luis Enrqiue's focus is firmly on Marseille, who are down in 13th having lost three of their first four Ligue 1 matches in 2026-27 (W1). 

Marseille could record four defeats after five games for the first time in their top-flight history, though Luis Enrique was not looking too much into their recent form. 

"Le Classique is a different kind of game. We're hoping to get the three points, but we also want to play our way, to make our fans happy and to be connected to each other," the PSG boss added.

"No Paris Saint-Germain player will ever be relaxed before Le Classique.

"We know how important this game is for the players and for the fans, so we'll be highly motivated while trying to control our emotions."

It's been a summer of change at Marseille, with Bruno Genesio coming to replace Habib Beye, and the former Lille boss boasts an excellent record against PSG. 

Since his Ligue 1 debut as a manager in January 2016, Genesio has recorded six wins against PSG, at least two more than any other manager in that period.

He has, however, lost three of his first four Ligue 1 matches with Marseille and could become the second manager to record four defeats after his first five games in charge of the club, after the duo of Willy Kohut and Andre Gascard in 1938.

"They've changed their manager, and a lot of their players have left, so we'll need to be ready for any situation on Sunday," Luis Enrique said of Marseille.

"What's for sure is that the atmosphere will be electric and that the match will be a tough one; this is always a hotly anticipated game. Our aim is to get the three points."