Paris Saint-Germain step up their preparations for the Champions League final against Inter Milan as Luis Enrique’s side take on rank outsiders Reims in Saturday’s French Cup final.
Winning European club football’s biggest prize has been the number one aim for PSG since the takeover of the club by Qatar Sports Investments almost 15 years ago.
Everything else is secondary in comparison and especially now that they stand just 90 minutes away from lifting the Champions League trophy for the very first time.
However, Luis Enrique knows that retaining the French Cup and thereby completing a clean sweep of the domestic honours can only boost confidence ahead of the clash with Inter at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31.
“Honestly my focus is on both matches, the French Cup final and the Champions League,” the Spanish coach insisted this week during a press conference at PSG’s training base which was organised with the latter event in mind.
“The best thing is that there is nothing special for us to prepare. We have got this far by playing our football and now it is all about revealing the full force of that.”
Victory against Reims at the Stade de France would allow PSG to repeat their French league and cup double triumph from last season, during Luis Enrique’s first campaign in charge.
While they have never won the Champions League, they have won the French Cup a record 15 times, including seven times in the last 10 seasons.
“We need to take one thing at a time. Before thinking about the Champions League our thoughts are on the French Cup final because it is important to win every trophy,” said Ousmane Dembele, PSG’s top scorer this season with 33 goals in all competitions.
PSG finished the Ligue 1 season 19 points clear of runners-up Marseille, a gulf that confirms how far ahead of the rest they are in France.
Their French Cup run, however, has been kind, throwing up four successive ties against lower-league opposition since a win on penalties at Lens in December.
Reims’ relegation fears
Now they take on a side who are hanging on to their top-flight status by a thread and whose own focus is also elsewhere just now.
Reaching the final was huge for Reims, who twice won the French Cup during their glory days in the 1950s but had not got this far since 1977, when Saint-Etienne beat them to take the trophy.
Yet the occasion has been soured, even completely ruined, after they dropped into the relegation play-off place on the final day of the Ligue 1 season last weekend.
The trip to the national stadium therefore comes in between the two legs of the play-off tie against second-tier Metz, in which they must prevail if they are to remain in the elite next season.
The first leg on Wednesday ended in a 1-1 draw, with Reims coming from behind to put themselves in a good position before the return at home next Thursday.
Coach Samba Diawara is now hopeful his team can simply go out and enjoy the final with the pressure off.
“We need to make sure we recover well and despite everything try to enjoy the final. We can’t sacrifice such an occasion,” he said after Wednesday’s game.
“I want my players to savour it, really make the most of the final, without compromising our chances for what follows. I don’t want anyone getting injured.”
Reims, whose last major honour was the league title won in 1962, can take confidence from the fact they held PSG to draws in both league meetings earlier this season.
Recent French Cup winners
2023/24: Paris Saint-Germain
2022/23: Toulouse
2021/22: Nantes
2020/21: Paris Saint-Germain
2019/20: Paris Saint-Germain
2018/19: Rennes
2017/18: Paris Saint-Germain
2016/17: Paris Saint-Germain
2015/16: Paris Saint-Germain
2014/15: Paris Saint-Germain
Most overall titles (most recent win in brackets):
15 – Paris Saint-Germain (2024)
10 – Marseille (1989)
6 – Saint-Etienne (1977), Lille (2011)
