Ferran Torres may have needed just one match to disrupt the attacking hierarchy at Paris Saint-Germain. After making a major impact off the bench against Rennes on Sunday, the Spanish forward has already made a strong impression. Daniel Riolo now believes Luis Enrique’s starting lineup against Lille will be watched particularly closely.
Ferran Torres could become Luis Enrique’s new X-factor. Speaking on RMC’s After Foot, Daniel Riolo discussed a PSG hierarchy that had until now appeared firmly established. According to the pundit, there were still several players who seemed almost guaranteed to start the biggest matches. “I think there were statuses. I think there still are right now. In reality, you could almost always predict the lineup,” Riolo explained.
Ferran Torres changes Luis Enrique’s attacking options
But the match in Rennes may have changed everything. Trailing 2-0 at half-time, PSG saw Luis Enrique replace Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in order to inject fresh energy into his attack, notably through Ferran Torres. The Spaniard immediately influenced the game and played a major role as PSG fought back to draw 2-2. “Before, there was no question: for a big game, you could name the lineup. Now, after what happened on Sunday, Friday’s lineup will be an event,” Riolo said, before adding: “Ferran Torres is a different story.”
Until now, PSG’s attack had been built around a relatively clear hierarchy, particularly with Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia. Torres now gives Luis Enrique a genuine alternative. The competition has also intensified after the PSG coach publicly stressed that performances from previous seasons give no player special privileges. His decision to remove two of his biggest stars at half-time against Rennes was already a powerful message, and the success of their replacements only reinforced it. Torres’ versatility, with the ability to play centrally or out wide, also allows Luis Enrique to change his attacking setup without completely altering the system.
The main question is now who will start against Lille. Will Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia keep their places despite being substituted early in Rennes, or will Torres be rewarded with his first start? That uncertainty is precisely what Riolo is highlighting. PSG’s lineup once seemed relatively predictable ahead of major matches, but Luis Enrique now has enough options to create genuine competition. After only one Ligue 1 appearance, Ferran Torres already appears to have made the PSG coach’s decisions far less straightforward.
