Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique says winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will come back stronger after he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The 25-year-old suffered the injury during PSG’s 4-2 win over Barcelona and is now ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Kvaratskhelia has been a key player for PSG over the last few years, having helped the club to back-to-back Champions League titles, and will be a big miss for Les Parisiens going forward.
Enrique says the Georgia international will continue to be an important player for the club once he has recovered from the injury.
He said: “Unfortunately, we already suspected after the game how serious the injury was. Our thoughts are with the player and what he’s going to go through, it’s difficult.
“But ultimately, you have to stay positive and remember that if you want to play at the highest level for 10 to 15 years, you’re going to suffer injuries, that’s the life of a professional footballer.
“Kvara is a fighter, you have to try and look for the positives, and there will be some, once he’s overcome this injury. He has been, is and will continue to be a very important player for us. We’ll stand by him and be attentive to his needs. He’ll come back even stronger, I have no doubt about that.
“No injury means that we absolutely must sign a new player. Since the start of the season, I’ve always said that we could cope with any injuries.”
PSG will welcome Lyon to Parc des Princes on Monday as they look for a fifth straight win, hoping to climb further up the table.
PSG were beaten 2-1 by Lyon in April in the last meeting between the two sides and Enrique says the result has given him extra motivation.
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He added: “It’s a motivation to take on Paulo Fonseca’s Olympique Lyonnais. We remember what they did last season, when they won at the Parc des Princes playing very well.
“It’s up to us to show that we’re ready for every game and to demonstrate our form. It’s an extra motivation to play against this Olympique Lyonnais side.
“We’ve shown we can improve our results in the league. Three or four weeks ago, we were still a long way behind the top team in the table. And now, we have the chance to go top. It’s important for us to be as high up the table as possible.”
