Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola has issued a warning to Arsenal ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final in Budapest, Hungary.
The 23-year-old featured off the bench last year’s Champions League final at the Allianz Arena, where PSG ran out emphatic winners against Inter Milan.
Barcola came on midway through the second half, going on to provide an assist for Senny Mayulu as PSG completed a stunning 5-0 victory.
This year, the France international will hope to start at the Puskas Arena as PSG look to retain the trophy they won so convincingly twelve months ago.
A win would make Luis Enrique’s side just the second team to lift the Champions League in successive seasons in the new era, following Real Madrid in 2017.
Speaking to club media ahead of the final, Barcola said: “It’s a great honour to be playing in a second final.”
“We’re going to do everything we can to win it. We’re trying to build as much confidence as possible ahead of this final, and we’re going to work hard to make sure we’re ready,” the Frenchman added.
When asked about PSG’s biggest strength, Barcola was clear in his answer, delivering precisely what his manager would want to hear.
“I really think it’s our collective strength. The fact that we play together, attack together and defend together. We really play as a team, and that’s our greatest strength right now,” he said.
Teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia echoed those sentiments, emphasising the importance of the collective over individual contributions ahead of the showpiece event.
The 25-year-old winger, who has scored six goals in his last six Champions League knockout stage ties, said: “I think that it’s one of the team’s biggest strengths. We’re happy to play together and are very close-knit, and we know that if we fight for each other and play our own brand of football, we can beat anyone.”
Kvaratskhelia went on to speak about his personal desire to keep improving, while continuing to prioritise what matters most to him on the pitch.
“I think that every player can improve something, and that includes me. I’m always trying to progress, to score more goals and to get more assists, but for me, football isn’t just about goals and assists; the way in which you help your team is more important,” he said.
“Sometimes, you can’t score or get an assist, but you can give everything on the pitch to help your team to win. That’s the most important thing for me. When I finish a game, I want to know that I gave 100 per cent to my team and that I helped it to win,” the winger continued.
Kvaratskhelia also reflected on how his mindset has evolved since he first began his career at the highest level of the game.
“When I was starting out, I think I was more of an individual player than a team player, but I soon realised that you’re nothing without your team. Not many players can win games on their own. I realised that when you have a good team where every player gives everything, the results follow,” he concluded.
