Marquinhos: "Every game has its own story"
The Paris Saint-Germain defender spoke to the press on the eve of his side's encounter with Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League group stage, which kicks off at 21:00 CET tomorrow. Below are some extracts.
ON LUIS ENRIQUE
"He has very clear aims; he isn't here to treat one competition any differently to another. We know that the main challenge is the Champions League, but in order to be ready to face the big teams, we need to work hard in training and in the league. He's intense and demanding with us, regardless of who we're playing against. He's very involved in terms of what he passes onto us. He has a lot of ambition, and he gives us a lot of instructions but also a lot of freedom in games. I love working with a coach like him, one who has a lot of desire and a lot of things to give to the dressing room."
ON gROUP F
"I think that it's a difficult group with some historic teams in it. Even though they [Dortmund] are struggling, I believe that things can change quickly in football. Anything can happen over the course of a match, and every game has its own story. It's up to us not to think about our opponents' form but to prepare well for the game and to know which areas to exploit."
ON THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
"It's not an obsession or a source of pressure; we're working hard because we're competitive. The club is eager to try to win every competition, including this one. We know that the road ahead is long, so we need to take it step by step. This is a very difficult competition to win. We're always very calm and collected, and there's always more noise when the big games are approaching. In the dressing room, we're very calm and don't hide. In the dressing room, we only have big players who know where we're at."
ON THE game against nice
"The squad bounced back straight away, and the coach showed us things to improve upon. The team did its best, but we lost the game on some fine margins. We'll need to be at it from the off against Dortmund."
ON MILAN SKRINIAR
"Everyone has their own qualities and personality. I always try to learn as much as possible from my teammates and to make them feel comfortable, just like the players that I've had alongside me have done for me, but it's about more than just us, as there'll be changes. Those who are on the pitch will have to be at 100%."
ON KYLIAN MBAPPÉ
"His role hasn't changed; it's always been very clear that he's a really important player. He's a leader, and he was already a leader with the others. He speaks up, has a vision and clearly expresses what he wants, what he sees and what we need to do to improve."