PARIS, May 29 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain’s hunger has not faded after last year’s Champions League triumph, with captain Marquinhos and coach Luis Enrique insisting the club’s historic breakthrough only sharpened their appetite for more silverware.
PSG face Arsenal in Saturday’s final at the Puskas Arena seeking to cement their status among Europe’s elite after finally lifting the trophy last season.
But Marquinhos said the emotional high of their 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in last season's showpiece match had only fuelled the squad’s determination to experience it again.
“It’s really important to have that motivation,” Marquinhos told a news conference on Friday.
“Last year we said it and we showed it on the pitch. Once you win the Champions League, once you taste that title and those moments, you want to relive them again.”
The Brazilian defender said PSG had learned from last season’s run and were now better equipped to handle the pressure and noise surrounding a Champions League final.
“There are a lot of things around these matches, the expectations, the pressure,” he said. “The message in the dressing room was to change nothing, to continue working the same way and keep the same hunger we had last year.”
“Even today, I have the same sensations and the same emotions I had last season.”
THE BEST TEAM IN EUROPE
Luis Enrique, who guided PSG to their first Champions League title last term, said they were driven less by legacy than by the desire to remain the best team in Europe.
“Once is historic, twice is legendary,” a banner by PSG ultras recently read.
“But our motivation is not to make history because we already did that last year,” Luis Enrique said when asked about the slogan.
“Our motivation is to continue being one of the best teams in Europe and in the world.”
With Arsenal chasing a first Champions League title in the same way PSG were a year ago, Luis Enrique said his side now had an even greater source of motivation — the chance to win it again.
“It’s powerful,” he said of Arsenal’s drive. “But you know how powerful it is to try to win the second Champions League. It’s even bigger.”
The coach praised Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, saying the Premier League side deserved to win the English title after being “the most consistent team.
“They score a lot of goals and we defend very well, but the path to achieve that is different,” he said.
PSG'S COLLECTIVE GOALS
PSG forward Ousmane Dembele, who has fully recovered from a calf problem, said his individual ambitions, including Ballon d’Or speculation, were secondary to the club’s collective goals.
“It hasn’t changed my way of being or my way of playing,” Dembele said.
“I’ve always had the desire to win trophies with this club, with this squad and this staff. Individual trophies come afterwards. The most important thing is winning with PSG.”
The France forward added that the squad had managed to stay mentally and physically fresh despite another exhausting campaign in which they retained the Ligue 1 title.
“We didn’t have many holidays but the coach and the staff managed the season very well,” he said. “They gave us time to disconnect from football.
“I feel 100% and the group is ready too.”
Marquinhos also dismissed suggestions the players might subconsciously hold back ahead of next month’s World Cup.
“You cannot take your foot off the pedal in a match like this,” he said.
“A Champions League final is not something you play every year. Some people work their whole career and never get this opportunity.
“If you don’t play at 100%, it’s even worse. That’s when the danger comes.”
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
