On the eve of a Bayern/PSG match which will count for both teams, it was a determined Vitinha who was sure of his team’s strengths who presented himself at the press conference. The Portuguese midfielder did not hide PSG’s ambitions, namely to win in Munich.
How do you move forward after a defeat like the one against Atlético, especially against a big team like Bayern?
“It’s the biggest motivation to play a Champions League match, especially against a great European team like Bayern. We can’t have more motivation than that, even if we lost against Atlético the way we lost. Playing the C1 is a childhood dream for everyone and playing this type of big Champions League match is incredible so the motivation is incredibly high. »
Do you feel any form of pressure given the results and the journey? Can this pressure be positive and lift PSG’s game?
“We come here not to wait for a result but to win”
“You said it all!” We have to take the positive out of this pressure. Of course we know we have to win and we have to win. It’s not decisive because we know that we are not eliminated if we lose but we want to win every match at PSG and it’s no different here. We come here not to expect a result but to win. »
Gonçalo Ramos returns after three months of injury, what state of mind is he in?
“Gonçalo is happy, very happy. It’s been two or three months, I’m not sure, but it’s been a long time. All the players who have been away for a long time miss the pitch, playing and scoring is normal. We are here to help him when he comes back and that’s it. »
You arrived in the PSG of Messi, Neymar, Mbappé, with many big stars. Now the president has sold a team-oriented project, around coach Luis Enrique. On a daily basis, do you feel that PSG has changed its project, focusing more on the collective and the coach?
“Whether it’s in the speech of the president or the coach, the type of players who come for the team, even the campus, you feel the direction the project is going. I particularly like this type of project and the team, all of us, are well connected to this type of project. »
You are a player who is starting to have a team, both in the selection and in the club, how can you help a player like Barcola who has only scored one goal in the Champions League? How to free it, unblock it?
“We can’t just ask the attackers to score”
“It’s going quickly, I’m already a player with experience, it’s not been long since I was really young (laughs). For Bradley, it’s not a question. Of course he wants to score in every match, help the team and we all want him to score. But it’s not just Bradley, it’s the whole team. As I said before, we can’t just ask the attackers to score. In the last match against Toulouse, two midfielders and a central defender scored, that’s what made the difference and that could still be the case tomorrow and in the matches that follow. If Bradley scores, I’m happy too. »
Kimpembe is also making his return to the group, he has been at PSG for 20 years and is a bit of the soul of the club, what does he represent within the group and in the locker room?
“He has experience (smile). We are all really happy for him, it’s been a long time since he’s been here, much more than Gonçalo, so I imagine the feeling he has now of being with the group, of traveling, of train. We are all really happy for him and I sent him a message of support: the worst is already over and he must have fun now. But the team, the staff, we are all very happy for him. »
How do you view this Bayern team? What are his strengths this season?
“I’m sure that if we follow the coach’s plan and give everything we have, we will come out of here with a very positive result”
“We know that we are going to face a very good team, with world-class players. It’s been quite a few matches since they conceded a goal (Editor’s note: six). We know very well which team we are facing. Among the strong points, you can mention the pressing, I’m sure they will try to do it tomorrow and we will try to upset them. We will study the game plan carefully, the coach will talk to us about it and I am sure that if we follow the coach’s plan and give everything we have, we will come out of here with a very positive result. . »
Since the arrival of Luis Enrique, you have progressed enormously: what has he brought you and what are his instructions on the pitch?
“I already had the opportunity to say it but he really gave me a lot, he took me to a different level. Now it’s up to me to continue, to prove that it wasn’t just one year and I’m trying to do it. But he helped me a lot. »
You are 25th in the ranking, do you think that you still scare opponents, especially one like Bayern?
“I’m sure it is. I don’t know if you asked the player who was at the press conference, Harry Kane I think (Editor’s note: yes), but I’m sure they have a lot of respect for us and everyone knows that we are a very good team, that we have great players, a great coach, good dynamics and that we can do badly in this competition. »
We talk a lot about competition among goalkeepers, how do you observe the rise in power of Matvey Safonov?
“It’s true that he played and he was good and we, as a team, are happy with that. If you have all the competitive and attentive players in the group, active, it does good for the team. Afterwards, who will play between Arnau (Tenas), Gigio (Donnarumma) or Safonov, it is not me who should be asked, it is the gentleman who arrives after (Luis Enrique). »
Can you confirm to us that you are going to extend with PSG, or at least that you are in negotiations to do so? And what does it mean to be offered a new contract while the current one is still long, until 2027?
“I like the direction the club is taking so I don’t see any reason not to stay for a long time”
“What I can say is that I am really happy in Paris. I feel good, my family does too and I love this club. I like the type of projects we have that I spoke about, I like the direction the club is taking so I don’t see any reason not to stay for a long time. »
