On the eve of his first Champions League final between PSG and Bayern Munich, Kylian Mbappé showed his determination to win the European title during the pre-match press conference.
No French club has won the Champions League for 27 years and it has been 16 years since there was a final. Do you feel the responsibility that falls on PSG?
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ. This is the reason why I came here. I want to mark the history of my country. It's a great opportunity tomorrow. Since I arrived in 2017, we have experienced several disappointments. We are now in the final, which proves that we have not given up. It would be a great answer to win with a French club. It was my mission coming here. It would be a great accomplishment.
Kingsley Coman, your partner in Blues but opponents with Bayern, said that PSG have to wait another 5 or 10 years to become a big club. What do you think ?
Everyone has his own opinion. His answer is quite bland. I didn't hear it. But tomorrow (Sunday) is a good opportunity to enter this circle by winning the Champions League. We don't need to talk, we know our qualities, the growth of the club. We are focused. If we win, we will have another debate.
How do you live the last hours before a final?
I'm not the best example because I don't do anything special. I laugh, I watch movies, I call friends. This will still be the case tomorrow (Sunday) . It will be a day like any other until 7:30 p.m. when we will have to enter the match. There, it will be a special preparation. You have to be relaxed, focused on the goal. If you're too focused before, you do the game one, two, or three times. You have to take the day as it comes, be close to the group, be united and laugh.
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How do you feel about facing Manuel Neuer and Bayern Munich?
He is one of the best goalkeepers in football history. I have always trained to play against the best. To be the best, you have to beat the best. It will take determination, play our game. Each team has flaws, we have studied them. They don't like to alter their game. We can't wait until tomorrow. And we hope to leave with the cup.
Is it strange to play these matches in empty stadiums with no atmosphere?
It's still the biggest club competition and it's special to play behind closed doors. We would have liked the supporters to be there, we know they support us from where they are. But it remains the Champions League in the intensity of the matches. We can feel the tension that reigns in this competition. It is a format that we will remember. We were struck by a tragedy and we will remember this edition.
Physically how do you feel?
I feel even better with the passing days. Playing the semi-final did me good even though I was on edge. It put me in the best possible condition.
What are the links between this team and Thomas Tuchel?
The players are behind the coach. I heard a lot of things about the coach, like that he did not control his locker room or that he did not know how to manage stars… The truth is that he is having the best season in the history of the club. He managed to put us all in the right frame of mind. There have been events in the season, ups and downs. It happens to all coaches in the world. In Paris it is more visible. We believe in him and tomorrow we will also play for him.
