Marquinhos: "This competition will be an exciting adventure"
With just one week to go before Paris Saint-Germain take part in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, Paris captain Marquinhos spoke to FIFA about this new competition.
Paris Saint-Germain's first match will be against Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl stadium in Los Angeles on 15 June, and the capital club's No.5 is eager for the competition to get underway: "It's a tournament that every club wants to take part in. I think the new format makes it very interesting, with all the big clubs taking part, as well as facing teams we don't usually meet. As with every tournament Paris Saint-Germain takes part in, we want to be a contender for victory. We know it's going to be a long and difficult road, and that the competition will be fierce, but we can't wait to see how the tournament unfolds."
The United States is the perfect venue for this new competition, says Marquinhos: "I've already taken part in a few tournaments in the United States, mainly with the national team. It's always a wonderful place to play football. There will be a lot of fans there, and the tournament will be watched all over the world. So I think taking part in this competition is going to be an exciting adventure."
THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE STADIUMS
"I think all this passion will be wonderful. Clubs come from all over the world to take part in this tournament, big clubs with lots of fans. I also think that a large number of fans will travel to watch the matches, and for those who don't, they will certainly watch them at home. There won't be many other competitions to watch this summer, so I think the FIFA Club World Cup will be the centre of attention and all fans, regardless of their favourite club, will watch it."
LUIS ENRIQUE
"He's undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the world and he shows us that every day through his philosophy. He's a very demanding coach. He's very direct with the players, and he brings something new to the team every day, be it in training or in matches. He always knows how to lead with the character and experience he accumulated through all his years as a player. I think that's what makes him such a great coach: his philosophy, his high standards and his experience."
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN'S OPPONENTS
Les Rouge et Bleu will face Atlético Madrid at the Rose Bowl stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday 15 June. It's an important stadium for Brazil, who won the 1994 World Cup there against Italy. Will that bring luck to Marquinhos and his team-mates? "I'm really looking forward to playing in such an iconic stadium, which brings back wonderful memories for Brazil and Brazilian fans. I hope that this stadium, this mythical place, will bring us good luck and allow us to win these three important points."
After taking on Botafogo on Friday 20 June, Les Rouge et Bleu will play their final group-stage game against Seattle Sounders FC on 23 June at Lumen Field, where a special atmosphere awaits them: "I think it's always special to face a local team. We know we'll have the majority of the fans against us, and all the players enjoy playing in a good atmosphere, full of excitement and pressure. That's why we love this sport and love what we do. It will be a great opportunity for us, a great opportunity to grow as a club, as a group and as a team. I think it will be a wonderful experience for us."
Paris's objective
"Paris Saint-Germain always aims high. As a team, I think we've shown just how solid we've become. We always strive to be among the contenders for overall victory in every tournament we take part in, to fight for the title, for the top step of the podium. Even if, as I said, it's always a difficult task, a very complicated challenge. We have to approach the tournament match by match and remain aware that it's going to be a very tough competition. We've got a long way to go, but we're aiming high."
