PSG more 'hungry' for Champions League after first taste of glory

Budapest: Paris Saint-Germain stars Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos insisted their team are ravenous for European glory ahead of Saturday's Champions League final clash with Arsenal after tasting success last season.

The French side claimed the trophy for the first time and are defending their crown in Budapest against Mikel Arteta's side, who are yet to win the trophy.

PSG captain Marquinhos said after thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in last year's final, the Ligue 1 side had gained a taste for success which had to be sated.

"Once you win the Champions League, once you taste that title, once you taste that moment, you want so badly to relive moments like that again," the Brazilian defender told reporters at the Puskas Arena.

"I still remember today the feeling and emotion in the dressing room after that final. And for us, as competitors, we always want to feel that emotion. And again, we have to be hungry, we have to have motivation."

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique insisted his team are not favourites to defend their crown in Saturday's Champions League final clash against Arsenal.

The Ligue 1 champions are a thrilling attacking force with more goals than any other team in the competition with 44, while opponents Arsenal have conceded six, the fewest of any side.

In last season's final PSG waltzed to a 5-0 win over Inter Milan to claim the trophy for the first time but Luis Enrique said finals tend to be close affairs and that match was the exception that proves the rule.

"Finals are always difficult games, last year was exceptional, we did dominate against Inter," said the Asturian coach.

"In the final tomorrow I don't think there's a favourite and, I'm being honest with you, for us the devil is in the detail. It will be a very close call.

"We will have to give our all for the 90 minutes but also enjoy them. There's waves of tension but it's also about knowing how to manage that stress."

Luis Enrique said the clash of styles between PSG and Arsenal was not as apparent as some make out, despite the disparity in the teams' statistics.

"I'd say that rather than two different approaches, they are two similar approaches but with different tactics, because they are a team that also scores goals, and we are a team that also defends well, but we do so in different ways," added the coach.

Arsenal have never won the trophy, just as PSG had not until they finally won it last season.

"It's powerful (motivation)," said Luis Enrique of Arsenal's position.

"But you know how powerful it is to try to win the second Champions League in a row? It's bigger!"

Only Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid have been able to win the Champions League in back-to-back seasons in the modern era of the competition.

Some PSG fans are making the long journey east by road, including Marquinhos's father, which he said was added incentive to perform.

"My father, even, with friends, is on his way by car. You have people who came from far away to push us on," continued Marquinhos.

"So the motivation, the hunger, and the ambition to win this title have not changed since last year. And maybe it's even stronger because we've tasted it."

Dembele said winning again and again is what makes players truly great.

"We have a young squad, incredible staff and incredible players who want to win trophies," said the France international.

"We're hungry to win every trophy, whether it's the Champions League, the league, or the cup.

"We're competitors -- if we want to be great players, we have to win this kind of trophy several times. We're hungry, and we hope everything goes well tomorrow."

Arsenal boast the strongest defence in the competition and are unbeaten on their run to the final. Arteta's side also pose a potent threat from dead ball situations.

"We know their strength, we know how hard and difficult it is to come up against this Arsenal side," added Marquinhos.

"In a match, especially in a final, -- it's going to be decided on the details... knowing how to defend, how to attack, how to counter, how to defend a set piece, also how to attack a set piece.

"All the little details in a football match and in a final are going to be important. We've prepared ourselves for all those details."

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta called on his players to "own the moment" ahead of Saturday's Champions League final clash against holders Paris Saint-Germain.

The Gunners have never won the trophy and were beaten in their only other final appearance, against Barcelona 20 years ago.

Arteta said he was convinced his team could make history by beating Luis Enrique's side in Budapest.

"It's the opportunity to own the moment, it's the second time in our history we are here," the Spanish coach told reporters on Friday.

"We have the opportunity tomorrow to write a new chapter in the history of this football club.

"We have to play tomorrow with such a clarity, a lot of courage and a relentless desire to win. If we have those three aspects, I'm sure we are going to be close to winning."

Arteta's side ended a 22-year wait to lift the Premier League by beating out Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

The coach said he was not worried his team would allow that success to be enough in itself, and instead it had to be a springboard for more silverware, starting at the Puskas Arena.

"(Our) ambition is bigger. We have one (trophy) and we want the second one," explained Arteta.