last week, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) came agonisingly close to being a part of Champions league semi-final line-up as they lost to Chelsea in the dying moments of the quarter-final to be eliminated by a solitary away goal. After the game, team and Brazil captain Thiago Silva spoke to PSG TV about the quarter-final and his team’s ultimate goal to be Europe’s best team. Excerpts from the interview
To return to the Champions league match against Chelsea, we often say that these games are played on the details. What made the differenceIJ The passing gameIJ The pressingIJ
Hard to say. If I had known, I would have said there. It was not our night. We have sinned in many game situations, but I think the experience of Chelsea prevailed at the end of the match. They have a very experienced coach. From our side, we lacked the necessary experience in the decisive moments, but I hope that the day of Paris Saint-Germain will happen because I know we're in the right.
You went to three minutes of a semifinal. It's tough. In the locker room, how you were after the gameIJ
It's always hard to lose a game like that, conceding a goal in the last minute. If we take two goals in the first half, we have time to change the game, to try something else. But when you cash in any end game, there is nothing more to do. We had a great opportunity with Marquinhos, but when a goal near the end if you cash, it is very hard.
You're still motivated to win the Champions league with Paris next yearIJ
Ah yes, I work hard at it. The project of the Club is to win the Champions league. I'm sure next year will be different again. This has been the case with the latter. Now we must continue to work seriously to tackle the next season in the best conditions and try to reach the final.
Paris must now go beyond that. You have goals for the end of seasonIJ How you prepare for the league Cup and the championshipIJ
It's hard after a defeat and elimination as the one we just suffered against Chelsea refocus on the championship. But when you love to win, he must know how to raise and take the matches one after the other. It was a tough match against lyon, one of the best clubs in France. This is a team with great quality, great stadium and a hot public. All this will help us to refocus quickly to properly address these two matches against lyon, try to take a step closer to the championship of France and win the league Cup, which is important for the Club.
This match against lyon, Sunday is the best way to bounce back, to go back to the frontIJ
This is the best way, yes. There is nothing better than taking one game at a time. Now we must turn to more quickly to these meetings. Today the drive was a little more cheerful. When you take a shot like that we took against Chelsea, it is a little lost. But now, all players were able to get back in the saddle. We have a difficult game and I am sure we will achieve great performance.
You saw lyon play against Juventus. What did you think of this game and what do you expect from this match against lyonIJ
lyon was a great match. It is very difficult to face Juventus at Juventus Stadium. I saw a great lyon with lots of personality, young but very strong players, which is very good for the club. For us, this Sunday's game is not easy. They may be a little more tired than us but it will not change. So I hope that with my teammates, we get to become Paris Saint-Germain in recent weeks to try to surprise him at lyon.
This is a rehearsal for the final of the league CupIJ Because you play twice in a row lyonanyway ...
These are two tough matches in the context of two different competitions. We have the opportunity this Sunday, if we can win, get closer to the title. We then face Evian at home and we would like to finish the job on this occasion. It would be nice to win the title at home. last year, it was in lyon, but this year we would be sacred to the Park. Then replays lyon but the league Cup, and we are very motivated to win both competitions.
last year you were sacred to lyon. This year it is important to make a cup double - Championship to do better than last yearIJ
That is our goal, but it will make three and not two. We have already won the Champions Trophy earlier in the season against Bordeaux. So it would make three important titles for the club, a historic feat which all players want to be effective partners.
This final is played at the Stade de France. The Stade de France, what does it mean to youIJ A memory may be the final 98 ...
This is a bad memory for Brazilians, but football is. Today it allows us to write another story, which could be different, since many Brazilians are likely to win the league Cup in this stadium that reminds us of bad memories. Today, it is up to us to write a new story, the story of Paris Saint-Germain.
Can you speak to supporters to tell them about the coming weeks IJ
I mean just one thing: forgiveness for the Champions league. We will continue to fight together to make this team Paris Saint-Germain the best team in the world. It should also work hard to finally win the Champions league. It will happen because we work a lot and when we work a lot, things eventually happen. So we will continue to work together to make this team the best team in the world.