Paris St Germain’s hunger for Champions League glory has not faded after last year’s breakthrough, with captain Marquinhos and coach Luis Enrique insisting the club’s historic triumph only sharpened their appetite for more.
PSG face Arsenal in Saturday’s final at the Puskas Arena, seeking to cement their status among Europe’s elite after finally lifting the trophy last season.
Marquinhos said the emotional high of their 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in last season's showpiece match had only fueled the squad’s determination to experience it again.
"It’s really important to have that motivation," Marquinhos told a news conference on Friday. "Once you win the Champions League, once you taste that title and those moments, you want to relive them again."
Luis Enrique, who guided PSG to their first Champions League title last term, said they were driven less by legacy than by the desire to remain the best team in Europe.
"Once is historic, twice is legendary," a banner by PSG ultras recently read. "Our motivation is to continue being one of the best teams in Europe and in the world," Luis Enrique said.
With Arsenal chasing a first Champions League title in the same way PSG were a year ago, Luis Enrique said his side now had an even greater source of motivation: the chance to win it again.
"It’s powerful," he said of Arsenal’s drive. "But you know how powerful it is to try to win the second Champions League. It’s even bigger."
PSG forward Ousmane Dembele, fully recovered from a calf problem, said his individual ambitions, including Ballon d’Or speculation, were secondary to the club’s collective goals.
"It hasn’t changed my way of being or my way of playing," Dembele said. "I’ve always had the desire to win trophies with this club. The most important thing is winning with PSG."
Marquinhos also dismissed suggestions players might subconsciously hold back ahead of next month’s World Cup.
"You cannot take your foot off the pedal in a match like this," he said. "A Champions League final is not something you play every year. If you don’t play at 100 percent, it’s even worse. That’s when the danger comes."