On Wednesday, during Matchday 1 of the 2025-2026 Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain will face Atalanta at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 9 p.m., CET). On the eve of this match, Paris defender and captain Marquinhos (31 years old) answered several questions at a press conference.
Marquinhos: “That’s the beauty of our squad.”
Excitement or serenity in being European champions?
I think we have more experience now. We had some great experiences last season, but the Champions League is the Champions League. There’s always a lot of passion. You have to feel things; sometimes you have to calm the squad down, sometimes you have to excite them. But all the players have experience from last season.
Each player knows how to manage in their own way, with calm or excitement. That’s the beauty of our squad. It’s a great season starting in the Champions League, against a great team. There will be a few (smiles). Every season and every match has its own story. We’ll be ready.
Marquinhos: “No matter who’s on the pitch, the fans will always be proud because the players give 100%.”
You said last year that no team would be hungrier than you, will that always be the case?
Always. That’s PSG’s philosophy today. I think that’s why the fans are happy to see us on the pitch. The coach demands a lot of that; if a player isn’t at full capacity, he’ll go to the bench. That’s football, which is increasingly physical and dynamic. In the end, the championship is decided by the details.
We’ve found our philosophy; the coach has brought that to us. No matter who’s on the pitch, the fans will always be proud because the players give 100%.
Marquinhos: “He can reach the highest level.”
How do you assess Lucas Chevalier’s adaptation? Is there pressure, or is it slipping away from him?
He’s adapted quickly; he already speaks French very well (laughs). It’s not easy to join a team like that, after a goalkeeper who had a great season. He has a great personality; we already knew him since we played against him. We saw his potential. He can reach the highest level. The management and staff saw it too. He had no choice but to adapt; the Super Cup came right away; he was decisive. He shows his qualities in every match.
Afterwards, every player has their qualities, every position. He has a different profile from Gigio Donnarumma; he will bring us great things. I hope he will be decisive; he has all the potential and qualities to do so. He takes responsibility. He’s ready for tomorrow.
Marquinhos: “Tomorrow’s match could be decisive. We’re very focused.”
What did you learn from last year’s difficulties?
They say you don’t know how you start, you know how you finish. Even though we prefer to start well. The road was difficult, we finished well. But the Champions League is about every goal, every detail. Tomorrow’s match could be decisive for qualification. We really want to play well tomorrow, at home.
We had a few slip-ups at home, but we need good results. It’s difficult to take points away from home. At home, we had more possession and chances. It’s a different time, but tomorrow’s match could be decisive. We’re very focused.
Marquinhos: “We’re going to fight in every match and we want to move forward.”
Winning the Champions League twice in a row, how can you believe it?
It’s ambition, hunger. It’s desire. We have to keep working, keep moving forward. It’s a goal that motivates us. Winning another Champions League here motivates me, the coach motivates us, the president too. Once you’ve had a taste of it, you want to be eliminated even less. It’s a very different feeling. You don’t get tired after big victories (smiles). This motivation will allow us to improve.
We have a very young team, some are 19 or 20 years old. They can’t be satisfied. Even me, at 31. I want to win more and more, give my all on the pitch. That’s the goal, we have to take it step by step. We’ll fight in every match and we want to move forward.
Marquinhos: “Nobody has a guaranteed place. If I’m still here, it’s because I fought.”
How do you see the competition from Zabarnyi? Will you still be at PSG for several more seasons?
Zaba arrived, but there was always competition. No one is guaranteed a spot. If I’m still here, it’s because I fought hard in every training session, every day. It’s not a gift. Competition is a motivation. It pushes you out of your comfort zone.
He’s a very good defender, very young, he can still grow and improve. I’ll always help him when he needs it. As for the number of games to play, that’s a question for the coach. There will be a lot of management during the season, so he wanted this player to fill a gap he thought he had.
I’m happy to have great players to work alongside. My mother always taught me that you don’t trade a friend for a ball. There’s no wrong thing to do. You have to get what you want, work hard. We’ll do our best for the team, and then it’s up to the coach to decide. I will always give my help and respect.
Marquinhos: “We have to be hungry and strive to continue.”
Relaxed before the Champions League, are you on cloud nine? Is there a sense of unrest within the club?
I think that’s normal. When you have a goal, everyone worked towards it, and when you achieve it, you feel a sense of pride in your memory and your heart. I think that’s the case for everyone who makes history at their club.
But we have to stay focused. We can’t relax and forget the motivation and confidence for this season. There may be a sense of unrest, but we’re still driven to work hard and want more. We’ve made history, which is good, but we have to be hungry and strive to continue.
Marquinhos: “It’s wonderful to have him as a teammate.”
More responsibilities for Barcola?
It’s always in moments like this that there’s room to take responsibility. It’s an honor; we’ve seen him score some great goals for the team. But we’re not surprised; we know his qualities. We’ve seen him in training and in matches. He’s always a very decisive player.
Perhaps people don’t realize it, because other players take the spotlight, but he’s a decisive, key player. After all, it’s not all up to him; we shouldn’t put the pressure of attacking on him. The coach works very well; we have a team that maintains its strength despite absences.
We’ve seen players score very important goals who weren’t strikers. Bradley is an exceptional player, who is still very young and has many good years ahead of him. It’s wonderful to have him as a teammate.
Marquinhos: “It’s a very important match.”
Which Atalanta team should we expect tomorrow? Is Kvaratskhelia expected?
It’s always better to play with the full squad, that way the coach can choose. We’ll see who’s on the pitch tomorrow. Those who are there will give their all to get the win.
Atalanta has changed since 2020; there’s a new coach and other players. But the philosophy is more or less the same. Every match has its own story; there can be unforeseen events. But that’s the strength of this team: knowing how to adapt quickly when things aren’t going well.
We’ll be ready to attack and defend. We’ll want to dominate the match, have the ball a lot, and attack a lot. It’s a very important match. Italian teams are always difficult to play against. We’ll give our all, regardless of who’s on or off.
Marquinhos: “We want to win against a good team.”
What surprised you about Atalanta in 2020? What will be the difference tomorrow?
No surprises, we knew they were a very good team. They were having a good time. They were a very physical team, very tough in the duels. They maintained that physical strength; we know a little bit about what can happen, how they played in the first matches under the new coach. But things can change, and we have to adapt as quickly as possible.
But their philosophy is still in place, no matter where or against whom. The match in 2020 was very difficult, and we were able to score at the very end; it was a wonderful feeling. I hope we’ll still feel that joy tomorrow. We want to win against a good team.
