Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos says the club’s work ethic and mentality have been key after they reached a second straight Champions League final.
The French side drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, sealing a 6-5 aggregate win to book a final against Arsenal in Budapest on May 30.
“We have worked very hard for this since the first day of the season,” Marquinhos said after the match.
“We wanted to experience this moment again. We wanted to reach this stage of the season with goals like this still to fight for.”
‘A long and difficult journey’
The 31-year-old reflected on his long spell in Paris after helping PSG reach a third Champions League final during his time at the club.
“It’s incredible,” he said. “Another final.
“In 13 years at the club, this was the fifth semi-final and now a third final. You can see how far we have come. It has been a long and difficult journey.”
Marquinhos also described the tie against Bayern as two demanding matches that pushed PSG all the way before they eventually came through.
PSG staying grounded ahead of Arsenal clash
Despite PSG remaining on course for another Ligue 1 title and the chance to defend their European crown, Marquinhos insisted nobody at the club is getting carried away.
“We can’t fall into that trap,” he said when asked about facing Arsenal.
“They are a formidable side. We played them last season and it was one of the hardest games we had.
“A final is one game. It’s 50-50,” he added.
‘We haven’t won anything yet’
Marquinhos also pointed to the influence of manager Luis Enrique, sporting director Luis Campos and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi in building the current squad.
“We have to stay calm because we haven’t won anything yet,” he said.
“Every player has to give everything on the pitch. This mentality comes from the coach, from Luis Campos and from the president.
“To reach a Champions League final, you need everyone. I think we’ve shown that togetherness is our biggest strength.”
