Luis Enrique rued the ankle injury sustained by "very important" Bradley Barcola, but insists Paris Saint-Germain "have to adapt" in the forward's absence.

Barcola has been ruled out for several weeks after spraining his ankle during PSG's 3-0 victory over Chelsea on Tuesday, which sealed a resounding 8-2 aggregate win in their Champions League last-16 tie.

The forward is PSG's joint-leading scorer in all competitions this season with 12 goals, including a team-high 10 in Ligue 1, which Luis Enrique's side lead by a point with a game in hand on second-place Lens.

The Spaniard is disappointed to be without Barcola's services, starting with this weekend's trip to 15th-place Nice, but is confident his side can deal with the setback.

"Whether it be his attitude, his technical ability or his physique, Bradley has been a very important player for us in recent months," he told reporters during his pre-match press conference.

"I think he's the forward who's played the most minutes. He does very positive things for the team, so this injury is a shame, but that's the life of a footballer. You have to adapt and that's something we know how to do as a team.

"There are no easy away games. For us, it's vital to win the game. We're at the most important part of the season, and we have to win the three points. We also have to increase the quality of our play for away games in the league."

Barcola joins the likes of Fabian Ruiz in the treatment room, while Luis Enrique also confirmed Joao Neves will be absent for Saturday's match.

"I would like to have more than 12, 13 or 14 players, but when this moment of the competition comes, I am the one who decides which players are ready," the PSG boss added. 

"It's not the time to look for different things, it's the time to have certainties and to have confidence in the players who have shown that they have the level."

PSG will look to build on the momentum of their commanding win over Chelsea, which set up a mouth-watering quarter-final showdown with reigning Premier League champions Liverpool.

The two sides also met in last season's round of 16, with Luis Enrique's side coming from behind to stun the Reds on penalties at Anfield, before going on to lift the trophy.

"It's a special year, but we really see that we have it for any opponent, and it's good," the PSG boss continued. "We want much, much more.

"We are used to playing against the best teams. That was our pattern this year and last year. Playing against a team like Liverpool is special, different.

"It's our competition because we're the current champion. Last year, I remember coach Arne Slot speaking very well when we were in a difficult moment."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Nice – Elye Wahi

Wahi has found the net in two of the last three Ligue 1 games in which Nice have scored.

His goal against Angers was the 107th scored by a substitute under Claude Puel in Ligue 1, at least 21 more than any other manager in the competition's history.

Paris Saint-Germain – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Kvaratskhelia has attempted nine shots following a one-two in Ligue 1 this season.

That total is at least three more than any other player in the division.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

PSG are the Opta supercomputer's favourites to win this fixture, though their recent record against Nice has not been great.

Luis Enrique has averaged only 1.4 points per game against Nice in Ligue 1 (seven points in five matches). That is his lowest ratio against an opponent he has faced at least three times with PSG.

Nice have picked up 11 points against PSG in the last five Ligue 1 seasons (W3 D2); only Monaco (14) and Rennes (13) have gained more against them during that period.

Nice have also lost just one of their seven home matches in all competitions since Puel's return (W2 D4).

PSG have lost four of their 25 matches in Ligue 1 in 2025-26. The last two seasons in which PSG suffered as many defeats at this stage of the competition were campaigns in which they did not win the French title (four defeats in 2016-17, five in 2020/21 – finishing as runners-up on both occasions).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Nice – 15.9%

Paris Saint-Germain – 64.2%

Draw – 19.8%