Emotions, team talks, thrills… Marquinhos describes his Champions League! | OneFootball

As a new Champions League campaign dawns, Paris Saint-Germain's captain reflects on the elements that make this competition so unique, 11 years after his first appearance and his first goal. Highlights!

THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS… THE pIECE OF MUSIc!

For me, the Champions League is like a piece of music… I remember the first time I heard the Champions League hymn while on the pitch. It was incredible. I had heard it so many times on TV since I was little, watching those matches, those great players, those great champions who made people dream. And then one day, I found myself out there on the pitch, hearing that melody. It was against Olympiakos. It was my first European match in the Paris Saint-Germain shirt, and I hadn’t expected that moment at all, since I had to step in for Alex, who was injured, at the last minute. I was only 19, and I found myself on the pitch with Thiago Silva. It was a truly unforgettable moment. That’s why this music, that moment and the atmosphere will always stay with me. Plus, against Olympiakos, I also scored my first Champions League goal with Paris Saint-Germain. It remains an unforgettable night. Very special for me.

Today, I have more experience, and when I see other players like Lucas Beraldo, who are moved the first time they hear that music, it takes me back—it’s touching. Moments like that should be cherished. Things move so quickly in our lives, in our football careers. We must not forget where we come from, where our dreams come from. And when you hear that music, it reminds you of everything you've been through to get here.

THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS… THE TEAM TALK!

Of course, in this competition, there are also very important moments in the dressing room. I think of matches where we overcame our difficulties together. For example, the match against Chelsea when we were down to 10 men after Zlatan's red card (note: in March 2015, PSG came back twice from behind despite being a man down). It was such a tough game against a team we faced frequently at that time. It was important to show that we were here to achieve significant things. And I think the speeches from the captains and leaders in the dressing room that day were crucial. They gave us strength and motivated us to perform even with just ten players. And we succeeded! We didn’t give up until the last minute, we fought hard for that qualification. I remember the emotion and joy after that match. That night, I played as a right-back and I think everyone put in incredible efforts during the game, especially in extra time. It was a very demanding and difficult match, both for us as a team and as a group. The dressing room, the team talk that day, was very important.

THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS ALSO… COMEBACKS

I can't think of the Champions League without mentioning what was, for me, the most incredible comeback… Against Atalanta Bergamo (note: trailing 1-0 at the end of regular time, PSG scored two goals in the 90th and 93rd minutes to qualify for the semi-finals).

You have to remember that Atalanta were a team that played very well and posed challenges for us. They were leading towards the end of the match. We were really at the very end and I was so crampy that I had pulled down my socks. I could barely move in midfield. I was exhausted. I told Thiago Silva that I couldn’t go on, that I couldn't run anymore and that I wouldn’t be able to manage the midfield for the last 5 minutes. He told me to go up front and stay there and that’s how I ended up in the box. We had a move, Ney was on the wing and I found myself in the penalty area… and it went in. It was madness, an incredible surge of energy. I still get chills thinking about that moment. And then, a few minutes later, Choupo-Moting's goal that took us to the semi-final. That turnaround will remain a defining moment in my life and in my career as well.'

THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE iS... A NEW FORMAT!

Now, the Champions League has a new format, a new competition starting. We’ll discover it together starting Wednesday. But the ambitions, dreams, and goals remain the same. It’s about making our supporters dream, making them proud of the players who wear the shirt and fight for the Paris colours. Now, it’s time to embrace this new format and do everything we can to qualify. I think the most important thing will be this first match against Girona at home—putting in a strong performance, playing a good game and accumulating points in front of our fans. The goal is to start well.

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