Vitinha has commented on the transfer speculation surrounding Paris Saint-Germain's star players, stating that interest from other top European clubs is expected given the team's recent success. The Portuguese midfielder spoke after PSG defended their Champions League title with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in Budapest.
PSG Retain Champions League Title
The match ended 1-1 after extra time, with Ousmane Dembele's penalty canceling out Kai Havertz's early goal for Arsenal. In the shootout, PSG's Nuno Mendes saw his effort saved by David Raya, but Arsenal's Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes both missed the target, handing PSG a 4-3 win. Luis Enrique's side has now established itself as the dominant force in European football, making their players attractive targets for rivals like Real Madrid.
Vitinha on Transfer Rumors
Both Vitinha and Joao Neves have been linked with moves to Real Madrid, but Vitinha remains unfazed. 'It's normal that big clubs in the world want PSG players because we are at the top now for two years,' he said. 'It's normal that things like that happen and the interest comes. Normally, when you say we are the best it's not good to say it, but right now, maybe it will not last a lot of time because football is like this, today it's true, tomorrow it's a lie. But today we can say we are the best in the world, the best in Europe. It's normal that things like that come.'
Focus on Winning More
The 26-year-old emphasized his desire to continue winning with PSG. 'We take a lot of pleasure in being here to play in this incredible group. We are all very humble, you feel that and you give a little more in the field because of that. Now we just want to celebrate with people of Paris.' He also expressed motivation to chase a third consecutive Champions League title, a feat achieved only by Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Ajax in the competition's history. 'If you were to ask me now about the third star, it's far away and there's the same incredible journey ahead to it,' he said. 'It's about savoring the moment now and congratulating everyone: the staff, chairman, sporting director, the coaches, everyone deserves this win, everyone got stuck in and worked incredibly. The appetite just grows; you want to always win, never stop. I hope Luis Enrique will continue to push us so we can win more and more. But I don't want to really think about the future right now, I want to savor the moment.'
Neves Takes Swipe at Arsenal
Joao Neves, also linked with Real Madrid, criticized Arsenal's tactics after the match, telling French outlet M6: 'We deserve it today, because PSG were the only team willing to play. It's not even the victory in itself that pleases me, but playing with such teammates, this staff, and this management. I love everything here. I'm very happy for the group, for everything we've done this season. It was even more difficult because we had to defend our title. There was a lot of fatigue but when you play in the final, you have to forget everything and give it your all.'
