On Saturday, in the 2025-2026 Champions League final, Paris Saint-Germain will face Arsenal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest (kick-off at 6 p.m., CET). On the eve of this match, PSG striker Ousmane Dembélé (28 years old) answered several questions at a press conference.
Marquinhos: “The ambition hasn’t changed. It’s perhaps even greater; we want to experience that emotion again.”
Does Arsenal think they’re hungrier than you?
It’s really important to have the motivation. Last year, we gave it our all on the pitch. That’s still the case this year, and we’re going to do it on the pitch. Once you’ve tasted that moment, you so badly want to experience it again. I remember the emotion in the locker room. We’re competitors; we want to experience that again. We have to be hungry, to be motivated. There are fans who come by car, who come from far away. The ambition hasn’t changed. It’s perhaps even greater; we want to experience that emotion again.
Does winning the Champions League allow you to be more relaxed emotionally?
I don’t think so. It’s still the same emotion, the same motivation. Even if you’ve already experienced this, we’re human beings, we’re players; these are important and difficult moments. There are many things surrounding it. Even last year, the message was to manage this well. We mustn’t change anything, work as we did, and be as hungry as last year. That’s how we prepared. I have the same feelings as last year.
Marquinhos: “It’s not just tactics; he prepares us mentally and physically.”
What are Luis Enrique’s main strengths? Is he a guru who can convince you of anything?
Since he arrived, he’s been a coach who’s implemented things, his philosophy, his strategy. Most of what he’s put in place has had a real impact. That’s how you convince a group, not just with words. That’s why we’re the way we are.
He has a great eye for detail. It’s not just about tactics; he prepares us mentally and physically. He manages playing time. He’s a well-rounded coach. You can see that what he says works. He’s a top-level coach. I hope we’ll stay at PSG with him for a long time to come.
Marquinhos: “It will be important; we’ve prepared for all these details.”
You’ve been working on set pieces; will that be decisive against Arsenal? How do you prepare for it?
We’ve been working on it. We’ve already played against Arsenal quite a bit in recent years. We know their strengths, how difficult it is to play against them. You never know what can happen in a match. You have to be ready for anything. We’ve seen our run, with Liverpool, Bayern, Chelsea—all the teams have managed to cause us problems. We’ve risen to the occasion, we’ve been able to adapt.
In a final, you have to be decisive in the details. You have to know how to attack, defend, counter, defend, and attack from set pieces. It will be important; we’ve prepared for all these details.
It’s a very intense match coming up. There’s also the World Cup coming up; could an injury be on your mind? How do you find the balance between wanting to play and taking risks?
You can’t put yourself at risk and take it easy in a match like this. It’s a Champions League final; we don’t play it every year. It’s very difficult, very tough. There are people who have never experienced anything like this in their careers. Even though most of us have a World Cup to look forward to, our feelings, our heads, our hearts, and our motivation are all focused on this match.
We have to know how to separate things, the different moments. Even though the World Cup is extraordinary, the final is just as important. You have to live it. And if we don’t play at 100%, that’s where the danger lies. I want to win, to experience this emotion, to win this trophy. That way, I’ll be even happier and more confident for the World Cup.
Marquinhos: “The strength of our team is that the danger comes from everywhere.”
Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé, a word on these players?
I can’t say about Ousmane, he’s here (laughs). The strength of our team is that the danger comes from everywhere. We have players who can do everything. The forwards can play in midfield, defend, on the left, on the right. There’s great mobility. This is the team built by Luis Enrique. It’s not just those two players. The danger comes from everywhere. There are important players.
We’re a complete team. Kvara and Ousmane are having an incredible season; they’re leaders in decisive moments. We’re really happy to have them with us. It’s a privilege to have players like that who give their all for the team. The fans are happy to see them on the pitch. They’re doing it again this season. They truly deserve to be in the spotlight.
