Digne: PSG have acclimatised in China

Left-back Lucas Digne insisted Paris Saint-Germain are getting used to the climate of Beijing ahead of Saturday’s Trophee des Champions.

The Ligue 1 champions will take on reigning Coupe de France winners Guingamp at the Beijing Worker’s Stadium, as the traditional curtain-raiser of the French league season is held abroad for the sixth straight year.

With temperatures expected to remain over 30 degrees at kick-off, which is scheduled for 20:00 local time (13:00 GMT), and humidity to reach a peak of 67 per cent, conditions will certainly test both Ligue 1 clubs.

But having arrived in Asia last week before a friendly against Kitchee in Hong Kong, Digne is confident PSG have acclimatised.

“The preparation is going well. We work well with climatic conditions. We try to adapt,” the 21-year-old said.

“It was a little difficult at the beginning but now we are fine and we’ll try to do the best on Saturday.”

PSG won last year’s Trophee des Champions over Bordeaux in Gabon, the first of three titles for the season, as the capital club went on to triumph in the league and the Coupe de la Ligue.

While PSG will undoubtedly see Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League as bigger priorities this season, Digne argued Laurent Blanc’s side want to win every trophy possible.

“It’s a trophy. We play a game to win this trophy,” the defender said.

“We want to win a maximum of trophies this season. This one is a part of it.”

Goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu agreed: “As we have seen in the past, this is a decisive game. The first game is always tough.

“This is the first trophy that we can win this season. We will do our best to win.”

The Trophee des Champions on Saturday will continue a burgeoning tradition of European leagues sending one-off matches to Beijing, with the Supercoppa Italia having been held in the city’s National Stadium in three of the past five years.

Over the past five years, the Trophee des Champions has been held in Canada, Tunisia, Morocco, the United States and Gabon.