Coach, we’re getting close to the start of this Final Four. How do you view your players’ journey in the competition so far?
“It’s a group that has developed progressively throughout the competition. We’re about to play our 10th match, which is no small thing in the Youth League. It’s a team that has grown step by step and set itself the ambition of qualifying for the Final Four. There were two stages: qualifying at the end of the league phase, and then progressing match by match, since these are knockout matches. So we know that anything can happen in a single match.”
What can this Final Four experience bring to the players’ development?
“In the Youth League, every match is an experience, and reaching the Final Four means being among the four best teams in Europe in the top youth competition. There’s much more media attention. There is also a major objective: reaching the final. So it’s an experience these young players need to live. And for us as a staff, it’s very, very valuable that they can go through this, because these are situations they may experience later in their professional careers, especially at Paris Saint-Germain, where the stakes are very high.”
From a preparation standpoint, how are you approaching this very condensed Final Four?
“First of all, we’ve organised ourselves with a development plan that should allow them to play, we hope, two matches in four days. The idea is for them to be able to handle those two games. Then we approach this match against Real Madrid like any other, with a lot of calmness and a very precise plan. We prepare the players step by step so they arrive truly free for this semi-final, with all their energy, so they can deliver a great performance, playing freely, not under pressure.”
Against Real Madrid, what kind of match can we expect?
“They are a very mature team, with many internationals who are already playing senior football. So it will be a very tight match, with a lot of high-quality individuals on the other side. Collectively, we have to be able to respond. With our playing principles, we need to be able to put in a great performance. And I think mentally, our players will be ready."