download All Football App

'We can win again' – Kvaratskhelia convinced PSG can retain Champions League crown

  /  autty

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is confident that Paris Saint-Germain can retain their Champions League title when they take on Arsenal in Saturday's final. 

PSG are aiming to become the first team other than Real Madrid (2016-2018) to successfully defend the Champions League title (1992-93 onwards).

This will be the fourth meeting between the two sides in the competition since the start of last season, with PSG winning the last two during their semi-final victory over two legs last term. 

Since 2020, the Parisiens have reached the Champions League final more times than any other club, appearing in three editions, including last year's record-breaking triumph. 

Luis Enrique guided his team to a thumping 5-0 win over Inter at the Allianz Arena, which was the biggest margin of victory in a European Cup/Champions League showpiece. 

Kvaratskhelia scored PSG's fourth goal on that day, and he believes that there is enough quality among his team-mates to write more history for the Ligue 1 giants. 

"We know we are the reigning champions. The beginning [of this year's competition] didn't go as we wanted," Kvaratskhelia told UEFA.com.

"After so many matches, we didn't get to rest much, so we soon had to analyse the fact that we still had to show everyone that we deserved to win the competition last season.

"At first we struggled, but at some point in the middle of the season we realised we could do what we do best, so we played in harmony, continued to win and made it to the final.

"All of this is very important, and we understand that we are the reigning champions and we can win again.

"Of course, this will be difficult, but we've proved once more that we can beat any team, as long as we play our way and give our all on the pitch."

Kvaratskhelia has been key to PSG's run to the final, but he has particularly flourished in the latter stages of the competition. 

He has been involved in more goals than any other player in the 2025-26 Champions League knockout stages (10), scoring seven times and delivering three assists.

The Georgia international is also the first player to score or assist in seven consecutive knockout-stage appearances in the same Champions League campaign.

Kvaratskhelia has been a key part of a PSG team that have scored 44 goals in the competition this season, a total only bettered by Barcelona's 45 in 1999-00 in a single edition. 

In winning the Champions League 12 months ago, PSG became the ninth different European side to win the treble, while also becoming the first French side to do so, though that is beyond their grasp this time around, having been dumped out of the Coupe de France in the round of 32. 

And though Kvaratskhelia believes there have been many changes to the team, he said their mentality remains the same.

"I think there have been many changes, because many teams know how we played last year," Kvaratskhelia added.

"They tried to block our strategies, but we showed that we can find everything to play well, against every opponent.

"We respect them, but we know that we have qualities that can beat every team. We just have to focus on our game, and that is what we always try to do.

"It's kind of the same, because we did a great job last season, and we are trying to have a great season this year as well."