Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique warned his players that they face a test of their mettle against Strasbourg as Ligue 1 resumes in France after the pause for international games.
"I think that they're one of the best teams in the league," said Enrique on the eve of friday night's clash at the Parc des Princes.
"They've got a lot of young players and a good manager, and they play some great football," Enrique added.
"It will be a difficult match, as is every game after an international break. We know how good they are so we'll need to be ready to face some real adversity.
"They've picked up some very good results and are physically strong, so this is a big test to come back to, but we'll be ready."
Pacesetters PSG went into the break for World Cup qualifiers with a one-point lead over Marseille, Strasbourg and Lyon.
"We've implemented this idea of dominating matches," Enrique explained. "But our opponents also know how to adapt, so we need to find the right solutions to keep improving."
Enrique is expected to welcome back some notable absentees. Skipper Marquinhos and striker Désiré Doué have recovered from the injuries that kept them out of the 1-1 draw at Lille just before the break.
Ousmane Dembélé, the winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or, remains on the injured list though.
"I don't think that the hard part is over yet," said Enrique. "Because you never know what might happen but we're preparing properly in order to handle it in the best way possible. We hope that the number of injuries won't ever be this high again, but you can never know that."
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Sequence of results
Strasbourg go to the Parc des Princes attempting to terminate a lurid sequence. They have never beaten PSG in Paris. Since their first encounter in 1975 in the top flight, they have lost 27 and drawn seven matches.
"I tell my players that they can win any match, regardless of the opponent," said Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior.
"If we don't believe in ourselves, we're bound to lose. So I want my team to believe in themselves. I know, and my players know, that Racing has never won in Paris.
"But I don't think they need any extra motivation for this match. The fact that we could be top of the table after eight games means absolutely nothing. What matters is our position after 34 games and the number of points we have at the end of the season.
"For me, the motivation is to play as well as possible, enjoy the experience, show who we are and try to win a match against what I consider to be the best team in the world."
On Saturday, Lyon play at Nice while Marseille entertain Le Havre and Monaco will run out for the first time under the aegis of Sébastien Pocognoli against Angers.
The 38-year-old Belgian was drafted in on a two-year deal following the dismissal of Adi Hütter who had been at the helm since July 2023.
Last season, Pocognoli led Royale Union Saint-Gilloise to their first Belgian top flight league title in 90 years. The side also claimed the Belgian Super Cup.
