‘Calm, cool, collected’: Ousmane Dembele not feeling weight of the occasion ahead of 'historic' Inter clash | OneFootball

Dembele may prove a difference maker on Saturday but is keeping his focus

Ousmane Dembele could not contain his excitement the night before playing in his first Champions League final, declaring that a Paris Saint-Germain triumph would be “history in the making”.

Losing finalists to Bayern Munich in 2020, PSG appear a much improved side under manager Luis Enrique, with French star Dembele seen by many as their key player.

The 28-year-old has 12 goal contributions in 14 games for the Parisians in the Champions League this season. Speaking the night before the final, he said winning the Ballon d’Or this year is in “the back of my mind” but comes second to the team objective of trying to secure PSG that historic first European crown.

“This has been a dream of mine since I was a child”, he said. “I am very concentrated. This will be an unforgettable moment. I just hope tomorrow will be history in the making.

“Tomorrow will be a tense game. We know Paris will be vibrating with excitement.”

On whether a Champions League triumph would make him a shoo-in for the Ballon d’Or, Demeble replied: “I feel the same questions have been asked several times now.

“You need to keep a cool head. We are very excited but, as has been mentioned, we need to be calm, cool, collected, serious but smiling, because this is an incredible moment for us.

“Inter Milan is a wonderful team that deserves their place in the final. They’ve been playing for four or five years now, this team. They know how to give this team a run for their money.”

Sitting next to him in the press conference at the Allianz Arena, PSG captain Marquinhos said of Dembele: “He knows exactly what he needs to do. He has played very well this season, and nothing changes tomorrow.”