Luiz needs time - Blanc

The former France coach feels the defender is still settling into the team but feels he is a "great defender" and will become a crucial part of the Ligue 1 champions

Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc feels fans must be patient with defender David Luiz, insisting he must be given time to settle into the team.

The French champions have struggled to build any kind of consistency in the early part of the Ligue 1 season, drawing five of their eight matches so far, leaving them behind Marseille, Bordeaux and Lille in the league.

An injury to captain Thiago Silva has seen Luiz thrown into first-team action sooner than Blanc would have liked, and the coach says it is only natural that the defender, who joined from Chelsea during the close-season, might struggle early on.

"He needs time," the former France boss told reporters. "Like some other players, he arrived after a big disappointment in the World Cup.

"He had almost no pre-season preparation when he came here. He plays games with no preparation through friendy games. He came and played directly.

"Maybe it was better to wait before including him in the line-up. But with Thiago Silva's injury, we couldn't.

"But I think he is doing very well, because he brings his impact.

"He is reassuring even if he takes some risks sometimes. But he is reassuring.

"I think he's a great defender, and he is becoming more and more important to this team."

PSG host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.