Fresh off his second consecutive Champions League victory, this time against Arsenal (1-1, 4-3 on penalties), 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho stopped by the Todos Somos Técnicos microphone after the match. He shared his thoughts following this historic triumph.
Pacho: “We’ve learned all season how to suffer.”
How does it feel to be a champion?
“It’s incredible. I never could have dreamed of this. Now I want to celebrate with my friends and family.”
After the Club World Cup, you had very little rest. Did that affect you for the rest of the season?
“Of course, there comes a point when you feel very tired. But Luis Enrique was also excellent in his management. He knew how to manage every bit of playing time, telling us when we needed to rest. He’s a great person, but also a great coach who knows perfectly how to manage his squad.”
How many days of rest did you get before the World Cup?
“One or two, no more.”
What did Luis Enrique say at halftime with the score at 0-1?
“They scored on their only chance, and then we were better in terms of possession. We created chances, and he had faith in us. We’ve learned all season how to suffer. We knew we could come back.”
What did you say to Hincapié, your compatriot who also came through the Independiente youth system?
“Hincapié is a player I really like. We started together at Independiente del Valle, and I’ve always had a good relationship with him. It’s a very close friendship; he’s like a brother to me. I’m very happy to have played in the final with him.
It’s a difficult time, but I know he’ll move on. We also have upcoming goals with our national team.” Independiente de Valle is my home, I learned everything here, I started to dream. I also wish the best to this club which will always be my home.
