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I want to write history of French football: Mbappe

August 23, 2020 14:35 IST

When I arrived in 2017, PSG had difficulties, now we're in the final. It shows we never gave up and it will be an amazing thing for a French team to win the Champions League

IMAGE: 'When I arrived in 2017, PSG had difficulties, now we're in the final. It shows we never gave up and it will be an amazing thing for a French team to win the Champions League.' Photograph: David Ramos/Pool via Reuters

Ahead of the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain's striker Kylian Mbappe has said that he always wanted to write the history of French football.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Bayern Munich will be locking horns in the finals of the Champions League later on Sunday.

 

PSG had defeated RB Leipzig while Bayern outclassed Lyon in the semi-finals of the tournament.

"This is exactly the reason I am here. I always said I wanted to write the history of French football. I have another opportunity to do that tomorrow. When I arrived in 2017, PSG had difficulties, now we're in the final. It shows we never gave up and it will be an amazing thing for a French team to win the Champions League. It's why I signed," Goal.com quoted Mbappe as saying.

"I have always dreamed of facing the best players. You want to face and beat the best. We need to play as we always do. We hope to go back to Paris with the cup. It's the biggest club competition. Obviously, it's quite hard to play behind closed doors. We would have wanted the fans here but we know they will be supporting us. It's still a Champions League final. It is a very special year," he added.

This is the first time that PSG is featuring in the finals of the Champions League.

During the 2019-20 season, PSG managed to secure Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue and Trophee des Champions while Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga.

Mbappe also confirmed that he has fully recovered from the injury he sustained in the Coupe de France final last month.

"I feel even better the more days that pass. I'm good. I think the games have helped me prepare for the final. Munich are a great team but every team has flaws. We know they don't like to change the game," Mbappe said.

The last time a French team won Europe's premier club competition was in 1993 when Olympique Marseille beat AC Milan 1-0.

PSG manager Thomas Tuchel said fit-again Italian midfielder Marco Verratti could be involved in the game, although probably not the full match.

Verratti missed PSG's quarter-final clash against Atalanta due to a sore calf but came off the bench for the final eight minutes of the semi-final win over Leipzig.

"Marco's injury was a blow, it wasn't muscular, that's why the risk isn't great. It's just a matter of pain. Does he have them ability to play 120 minutes? No, of course not. We have to decide tomorrow whether or not to start him," said the German.

Tuchel will also decide late on whether first-choice keeper Keylor Navas is ready to return or if he will stick with back-up Anthony Lopes.

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