Juan Bernat, the 32-year-old left-back who previously played for Bayern Munich (2014-2018) and Paris Saint-Germain (2018-2025, with two loan spells at Benfica and Villarreal in the last two years), spoke with the Spanish media outlet AS. The Spaniard, without a club since last summer after suffering further injuries, reflected on his time in Paris. He also discussed Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and the evolution of PSG under coach Luis Enrique.
Bernat: “His mentality is entirely focused on the team, without any ego.”
Mbappé?
“Mbappé is a world-class player. I don’t know how far he can go. I saw him train every day for five years in Paris, and I know how hungry he is for victory. His mentality is entirely focused on the team, without any ego.”
He arrived at Real Madrid at the perfect age, with the energy to fully realize his potential and the necessary maturity. He will mark an era at Real Madrid.
Bernat: “The ambition of the Parisian project is incredible.”
PSG?
PSG has experienced explosive growth. When I arrived, it may not have had the structure of Bayern Munich, but few clubs in the world can afford to. The ambition of the Parisian project is incredible. And its trajectory speaks for itself, since by 2025, it was the best club in Europe and the world.
Bernat: “Without hesitation, I would say Messi.”
What was it like to walk into a locker room where there were stars everywhere you looked?
It was a true honor, honestly. A footballer can’t dream of anything better, because sharing daily life with players of that caliber makes you improve. Every training session was an incredible experience.
And not just because I had Messi, Mbappé, or Neymar as teammates. Being able to work with Marco Verratti, for example, was a privilege: what exceptional footballers!
In a few years, if someone asked you to name just one player you’ve shared a locker room with, who would you say?
I imagine Messi. Considering everything he’s accomplished and what he represents for football. For me, he’s the best in history, at least in the history I’ve seen. Without hesitation, I’d say Messi, given everything he’s done and especially because he dominated football for so long.
Bernat: “A solid team, made up of eleven players capable of defending.”
What has Luis Enrique changed at PSG?
He’s brought balance. I was so happy for everyone at the club when they won the European Cup. In football, it’s not enough to have great players, even though we certainly had some in my day and we still do today. A bit of luck in key moments counts, as does having a solid team, made up of eleven players capable of defending.
Bernat: “We came close to winning the Champions League.”
And with Messi, Neymar, and Mbappé, that dirty work fell to the other eight…
Everyone knows that their strength is obviously not defense. But, conversely, we knew we had three attacking players capable of turning a match around at any moment. We came close to winning the European Championship.
We lost the final against a formidable Bayern Munich, coached by Flick, another fantastic coach, as he’s proving at Barcelona. But with Luis Enrique, PSG has been able to adapt and become a very balanced team.
