Fabián Ruiz: "We've worked hard to get here"

ON THE LEAGUE PHASE

"We were frustrated because we were scoring a lot of goals in the league but were finding it a bit tougher to create chances in the Champions League, and even when we did have chances, we weren't taking them. That said, we knew that we needed to keep going and to persevere. We always remained hopeful, even after the defeat at home to Atlético. So, yes, we were angry, but I had huge faith in us. We knew that that winless run had to end at some point and that the goals would start coming."

ON THE GAME AGAINST MANCHESTER CITY

"That game was vital in terms of keeping us alive in the competition. We saw that the team stayed strong, kept pushing until the end and put in a great performance. I think that that game gave us confidence. We realised that if we followed our game plan until the end, we could go a long way, and that's what happened in that match. At the final whistle, we felt liberated, as if we'd won the final itself. We know that we can beat any team by sticking to our game plan, working hard and not throwing in the towel before the end. I think that that was a turning point for us."

ON THE KNOCKOUT PHASE PLAY-OFF AGAINST BREST

"We knew Brest very well. We'd already faced them several times, and we knew that it wouldn't be easy, despite our previous results against them. We also knew that getting a good result in the first leg at their place would be key because they're a strong side that carries out its game plan very well and that had already made life difficult for us on several occasions in the league and in the cup. We got an excellent result at their place and put in an incredible performance in the second leg. I think that over the course of that match, we converted all of the chances that we'd missed in our previous games, and, to be honest, despite the differences between us on the team sheet, I think that Brest had a great campaign in the Champions League. They're a great team, and I wish them all the best."

on the last-16 tie against LIVERPOOL

"Normally, after a defeat, the team is sad and disappointed, but our changing room was completely different. We'd created a number of chances and Alisson had made some impossible saves before they scored with their only chance right near the end, and the coach has always told us that if we're going to lose, we should do so by playing our own brand of football and without changing anything from start to finish. So, I think that even though we lost that match, we went to Liverpool thinking that we had put in a great performance against a great team and that we needed to be proud of what we'd done and to believe in ourselves at Anfield. There, we played well in both halves and never stopped attacking. To be honest, during the penalty shootout, I really struggled, but we trusted the players who were going to step up. I trusted both them and Gigio completely; we practise penalties throughout the season, and we know how important he is for us. We know that he's very good at saving penalties, and he gave us an extra advantage. He made some great saves, and we managed to go through to the next round."

ON THE QUARTER-FINAL AGAINST ASTON VILLA

"We knew that they would be as tough to play against as Liverpool. These are teams that run and play with a lot of intensity for practically the full 90 minutes because they're used to that kind of pace in the Premier League. We knew that it would be difficult, but we were confident and knew that we needed to reproduce the performance that we'd put in against Liverpool and not to change anything. I think that we put in an excellent performance and got a good result at home, and at their place, Villa didn't give up. They fought until the end, and we struggled until the very last minute. We could've even conceded another goal and gone to extra time, but Gigio came to the rescue with some fine saves. Thankfully, we all worked hard to hold onto the result and to reach the semi-finals."

ON THE SEMI-FINAL AGAINST ARSENAL

"We'd played against them in the league phase and had lost 2-0. We were aware of the intensity of Arsenal's pressing and that they pressed high up the pitch, and we were also aware of the players that we were going to face and of their individual quality. We knew that it would be a tough game and that we were going to be put under a lot of pressure, and we needed to play well defensively because they're very dangerous from set pieces, so we knew that we had to be focused and that they would want to dispossess us because they like having the ball. I think that it was one of the most complete performances that we've put in this season. Winning that match away from home was important for us because it gave us momentum, and in the second leg, at the Parc des Princes, I scored my first goal in the Champions League. It really was a nice goal, too, and I think that it was important for us to take the lead because they were putting us under pressure. That really was a unique moment that I'll remember forever."

ON THE FINAL

"We want to achieve something historic with PSG. We're one step away from doing it, so why not dream? This team, this city, this country and the entire world deserves it, and I think that we've worked hard to get here over the course of several years. The team is giving everything, and all of the club's employees and fans are enormously invested. We're hoping to win everything for the club this year."