Marquinhos, the 31-year-old central defender and captain of Paris Saint-Germain, stopped in the mixed zone after PSG’s 1-0 qualification against Bayern Munich (5-6 on aggregate) this Wednesday at the Allianz Arena in the second leg of the 2025-2026 Champions League semi-final (final on May 30 against Arsenal).
Marquinhos: “We work all year to experience these emotions at the end of the season.”
Is this your first or second time reaching the final?
The first time was difficult, but the second consecutive time is even harder (smiles). That’s why we’re making the most of this moment. We work all year to experience these emotions at the end of the season. What happened last year, we wanted to relive.
We’re in the final, we celebrated. But we have to keep our heads, our mentality, just like last year. We have goals, and it will be very important to win the Champions League a second time. That’s the objective!
Marquinhos: “It allows us to improve and gain more confidence.”
Do you realize what you’re experiencing at PSG?
Honestly, I do (smiles). Because of all the years we’ve been through, I know how hard it is. Maybe the younger players don’t realize it; they’ve only experienced those good years (smiles). I’ve lived through all these years; I know how difficult it is. This was my fifth consecutive final, and it will be my third. The journey has been difficult; we’ve played against some very high-level teams.
The two matches against Bayern were the most difficult; they tested us in every aspect. They pushed us out of our comfort zone, which was very good for us. This allows you to improve and gain more confidence. If you’ve managed to complete this journey, you can achieve great things.
