PSG vs Girona - Marquinhos pre-match press conference

Marquinhos begins his twelfth season with PSG and thus his twelfth European campaign with the club. The most capped player in the club's history in the Champions League, with 91 appearances, PSG’s captain spoke at a press conference this Tuesday afternoon.

He discussed the new format of the competition, Ousmane Dembele's strong start to the season, the collective effort to replace Mbappe's goals, and the team's youth. Here are the key highlights.

PSG vs Girona - Marquinhos pre-match press conference

The new Champions League format

“For the spectators, it's great, you get to see lots of exciting matches with big teams facing off. For the players, it adds extra games to an already packed schedule, with national team duties and travelling. More matches are added, but we aren't the experts when it comes to scheduling. It’s important to listen to what the players think, but we're here to play and win.”

Ousmane Dembele

“He’s becoming more expressive. When a player is happy and confident, everything becomes simpler, and everything falls into place. The coach likes him, and the club does too.”

The team effort

“The coach has experience and knew what he was talking about when he said we’d rather have several players scoring ten goals each than just one scoring 40. He knew other players would step up, and that’s what’s happening. They (Dembele and Barcola) are scoring, they’re happy, confident, and that’s what matters most. The coach has embedded the collective philosophy he wants for the club, and it's becoming more and more team-focused.”

The youth in the squad

“At 30, I’m already the most experienced in the dressing room. When I arrived, there were players aged 34-35. But this is the club's new philosophy.”

Squad continuity

“We’ve had a calm start to the season, transfer-wise. The coach is gradually instilling his philosophy, taking us where he wants. It’s a continuation of last year, with a few improvements in training.”

Joao Neves

“He’s a beast; he adapted quickly to the team and our style of play. Our philosophy isn’t exactly simple or easy, but he plays a crucial role in midfield, and he’s already shown he’s ready from the first match. Even though he’s young, he’s mature and arrived fully prepared.”

Ambitions in the Champions League

“We always have goals and dreams of going as far as possible in the Champions League. My teammates, regardless of their names, will always be the best in the world. PSG will always be the best team. Even without the big names, we’ll be ready for these major challenges.”

Rabiot at OM

“No comment.”

Being re-elected as captain

“It’s an honour and a privilege to wear the PSG armband. I try to do my best for the team. The captain has to set an example. We try to position ourselves well to lead the team forward. I’ll give 100% to make sure my teammates are proud of their captain.”

The schedule

“It’s great to have more matches, but the schedule is extremely packed, it’s relentless. We have a strong squad, a great team, and the coach manages the intensity of the matches well. Some teams struggle to manage their players’ playing time, and that’s where player health is at risk. The new format brings more high-intensity games, which demands a lot physically and mentally. We love what we do, and we’ll never say no to playing. But for the sake of the sport, everyone will need to sit down at some point and find the right path forward. Football will be the one to suffer if problems start to arise.”