Match Context
Vitinha, the Portuguese midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, stressed the difficulty of facing Bayern Munich tomorrow Tuesday at the Parc des Princes, in the fourth round of the Champions League group stage, confirming his side is ready with the starting XI.
In a press conference today, Vitinha said: "It’s great to have the midfield full with the return of Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves; regardless of who plays, we will be fully ready".
He added: "The reply on the pitch is better than loud talk in the media, but Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are the two best teams in Europe, both in great form, and we are trying to keep the momentum we started last season."
Regarding PSG's struggle with finishing, Vitinha replied: "This was discussed last season; we suffered from lack of efficiency, but things have improved gradually and naturally."
He also said: "All players want to feature in this kind of match, and we aim to win our fourth league game in a row; it will be a very tough match for both sides."
He stressed: "It will be as difficult as in the Club World Cup, a tightly contested match across the pitch with individual duels. Both teams want to dominate possession; it will be decided by small details and will be highly thrilling."
He also praised Bayern's English striker Harry Kane, saying: "He’s one of the best players in the world, delivering extraordinary numbers each season, and he started this season brilliantly, but Bayern Munich is a cohesive team defensively and offensively."
Vitinha also said he wants to cement his leadership position at PSG: "As vice captain, I need to keep leading the game, talk to my teammates, and feel like one of the leaders, with room to grow."
He then spoke about several PSG teammates: "Nuno Mendes is in great physical shape; he has started this season well, makes our lives easier, he’s an amazing player, arguably the best left-back in the world, and I hope he limits Michael Olise’s danger."
On Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha said: "In these matches, any player wants to test themselves against the best; he is arguably the best in the world, a Ballon d’Or winner, but the final decision rests with the coach; Dembélé trains well and, if fit, will help us greatly."
Vitinha added: "Marquinhos is happy to have won the Champions League for the first time in his career; we all see it, he waited for years for this title; he remains our captain, and his mindset hasn't changed—he's a wonderful leader and player."
PSG’s European Journey and Domestic Form
Paris Saint-Germain have seven wins this season with only one defeat to Marseille (0-1) in the Classic, a match delayed a day due to bad weather during Ballon d’Or week; PSG have also drawn three times.
Their wins included Nantes and Angers (1-0) in the opening two rounds, then a 6-3 thrashing of Toulouse, a 2-0 win over Lens, and a 2-0 victory over Auxerre.
Before the October international break, the Parisians drew away at Lille (1-1) and then drew Strasbourg (3-3) at the Parc, briefly surrendering the top of the table before reclaiming it with a win over Brest, then drawing with Lorient and narrowly beating Nice as they chase a fifth consecutive league title.
In Europe, PSG have played four matches and won all; they began by lifting the UEFA Super Cup with a penalty shootout win over Tottenham Hotspur after a 2-2 draw.
In the first three group games, PSG opened with three straight wins: a 4-0 win over Atalanta at home, a 2-1 success at Barcelona’s Montjuïc, and a 7-2 rout of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
Punchline: If patience were a footballer, this game would finally be starting eleven material.
Punchline 2: And if all else fails, the only thing sharper than PSG’s attacks might be my sense of humor—tonight’s football might just demand a mic drop at the final whistle.
