Achraf Hakimi, the 27-year-old Paris Saint-Germain right wing-back, spoke to CBS Sports Golazo following a 4-2 victory over FC Barcelona this Tuesday at the Parc des Princes, as part of the third matchday of the 2026-2027 Champions League league phase.
Hakimi: “We played against one of the best teams in the world—a side that had been undefeated.”
Did you grow stronger as the match went on?
Matches like this are incredibly tough; we were up against one of the best teams in the world, who were undefeated. But our team is incredible. We always want to demonstrate that—we are an ambitious group—and we’ve proven it once again.
Hakimi: “We want to show that we are the champions.”
Was there more at stake tonight than just three points—a desire to prove that you are the better side?
It’s a long season, and the Champions League is still in its early stages. But against a team of this caliber, we want to show that we are the champions and that we intend to keep winning. We are ambitious; we want to prove that we are one of the best teams in the world—perhaps even the best.
Hakimi: “The coach is always pushing us in that direction.”
It was a highly entertaining match to play in, but surely also very exhausting?
Yes, it was an incredible game—both for the fans and for us. We love playing matches like this; you have to defend and attack at the highest level.
It’s often difficult to keep winning after a victory, yet that doesn’t seem to bother you at all?
As I said, we are ambitious. We have a major objective ahead of us: to keep winning. The coach is always pushing us in that direction. We will give our absolute best, and I hope we can continue to secure victories.
