Following Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup, 24-year-old attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche lifted his first trophy with his new club. After this debut match for PSG, the French international spoke in the mixed zone, highlighting the hard work, humility, and ambition driving the Parisian squad.
Akliouche: “I’m going to give my all for this club and this team”
How is your start going?
Every minute I get in training or in matches, I’m going to give my all for this club and this team. They’ve welcomed me really well; it’s an exceptional group, and winning my first trophy in just one match is fantastic.
What is the vibe in the squad, given the club’s history of winning so much?
What I sense is that hard work is the watchword. I’ve also seen a lot of humility since I arrived. That desire to keep winning—those are the values that define Paris Saint-Germain.
Akliouche: “I’m very happy to be here”
From the president to the coach—is the goal to win everything?
Yes, exactly. That’s what the daily work is all about: having the drive to fight for every match and every trophy. And wanting to win everything. That’s the ambition we have, and that’s what we want to achieve.
It’s not every day you can say you might win two trophies in two matches, is it?
No, it’s not. Now we have to keep working hard until Sunday and try, of course, to go out and get that second trophy. Honestly, what really impressed me about this group are those two watchwords: hard work and humility. I’m very happy to be here, and we need to keep working hard all season long.
Do you need to go after another Champions League title?
No, for now, we’re going to focus on what’s coming up this Sunday. We need to recover well and, of course, win on Sunday, because it won’t be easy.
Akliouche: “They gave me a bit of a hard time”
Did your French teammates play a big part in convincing you to sign?
They gave me a bit of a hard time. Now, I’m very happy to be with them, and it’s great to see them again, too. It’s time to get to work—plain and simple.
What can we wish you for this season?
For things to keep going well, to stay healthy, and for it all to just keep going—plain and simple.
