Paris Saint-Germain captain, Marquinhos, has called on his teammates to deliver an unforgettable performance as they prepare to face Inter Milan in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final.
The French champions are hoping to make history when they clash with three-time winners Inter at the Allianz Arena, seeking to become just the second French club, after Marseille in 1993, to lift the prestigious trophy.
PSG came close to European glory in 2020, only to suffer a narrow 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich. Now, with a second opportunity on the horizon, Marquinhos believes the team must rise to the occasion.
“I am a veteran here now, I adore this team and it is wonderful to be a part of it. We mustn’t pile too much pressure on the younger players, but keep a balance,” Marquinhos told Sky Sport Italia.
“We know the strengths that Inter bring to the pitch and they analysed us too, so it’s about focusing on the details.
“This is an opportunity to write history for this club and it is also a second chance for me. We’ll have to give the performance of a lifetime.”
The Brazilian defender, who previously played for Roma, is the only likely starter against Inter who also featured in that 2020 final against Bayern.
“I can assure you that we will not change our general approach that got us this far. I think it is going to be an entertaining game of football, with Inter and us both relying on our strengths.”
Marquinhos also highlighted the disparity in experience between both squads, acknowledging Inter’s seasoned players while pointing to PSG’s evolving mindset under coach Luis Enrique.
“Since Luis Enrique arrived, he has worked on our mentality and dealing with emotions over the full 90 minutes, as that is what allows us to get the results we want.
When there have been difficult moments, we were always able to turn things around. We talked a lot this week and are ready for what Inter will do. We want to bring the trophy home.”
Despite being widely considered favourites, PSG face a dangerous Inter side that defied expectations by knocking out heavyweights Bayern Munich and Barcelona on their way to the final.
“We worked really hard on our defending, but will not change our tactical system,” the PSG captain added.
“We’ll try to annul their strikers, who are the core strength, but also the wingers that attack with pace. We prepared something, but I cannot tell you much about that…”
