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Blanc denies dressing room crisis in PSG

Xinhua, January 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc has believed that the Ligue 1 defending champions are united ahead of Wednesday's French Cup matchup hosting his former club Bordeaux.

"I think the players are behind me," the 49-year-old former French international told beIN Sports on Monday.

PSG have so far this season failed to recapture the form that saw them secure a Ligue 1 and Coupe de la Ligue double in the 2013- 2014 campaign.

Les Parisiens are third in the top flight soccer league and trail leaders Lyon by four points after beating struggling Evian 4- 2 at home on Sunday. The victory came on the back of a 1-0 Coupe de la Ligue quarterfinal win at Saint-Etienne last week.

Blanc, however, has still had to contend with questions over his position, especially as he handed a three-match ban and financial fines to Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi after the South American duo missed PSG's mid-season training camp in Morocco and then reporting late to their first session on French soil.

"I think the players are behind me. It's the same in every club: when you get results, things are fine, the coach's messages get through, the players get on well," said Blanc. "When the results aren't so good, the messages aren't received so well, people say the coach can't motivate his players... But I don't feel there is a gap between me and the players."

PSG beat Montpellier 3-0 in the previous round while their round-of-32 rivals Bordeaux won over Toulouse 2-1 to advance.

Willy Sagnol's men just managed one win in their last six matches including a 2-1 home defeat against Nice last Friday which leaves them seventh in Ligue table. Endite