Guest of the media day organized at the PSG Campus before the Champions League final against Arsenal, Mamadou Sakho also projected himself on the European poster which awaits the Parisian club in Budapest. The former PSG captain believes that the reigning European champion naturally retains the label of favorite, while recalling the quality of the course achieved by Arsenal this season. Very attentive to the level displayed by PSG in recent months, the former Parisian defender also welcomed the collective progress of Luis Enrique’s team, particularly in defensive investment and the balance of the group. “I think the favorite remains the defending champion. Obviously, after that, Arsenal had a very, very good run. Arsenal are not in the final by chance. So I think Paris Saint-Germain knows that they will be facing a good Arsenal team. But I hope that Paris will be superior as it has been in recent years when we expected it in the big matches.
Then asked about the enthusiasm around PSG in the run-up to this second consecutive Champions League final, Mamadou Sakho estimated that the game offered by the Parisian team was now appealing well beyond the club’s supporters. “Yes, I think all football lovers like to turn on their TV and see a team playing like that, with a lot of quality, winning matches. But what I remember above all is really the efforts that are made collectively. We see that victories are never won by chance. There is a lot of racing, a lot of defensive work that is done, starting with the attackers. And there you have it, I find that the team is balanced with a coach who manages to maneuver his team wonderfully, to create a great atmosphere. So it’s great.»*
