Willian Pacho is one of the best defenders in the world. Having arrived at PSG during the summer of 2024 in complete anonymity, he very quickly became a key figure in Luis Enrique's squad.

Two days before the Champions League round of 16 first leg against Chelsea, the Ecuador international spoke at length to the UEFA website. The Champions League final, Luis Enrique, Marquinhos, or even his number 51, his face-off with his friend Moises Caicedo, and more.

"He is my best friend. We have known each other since 2016 or 2017. At Independiente del Valle, we shared an apartment when we had to leave the training center. We cooked, we did the dishes together... Seeing him succeed in Europe motivated me. Facing him now in the UEFA Champions League will make this match very special."

"Marquinhos is an incredible person. He supported me from day one. He is an example with his will to always win. The fact that he speaks Spanish was crucial for me. He helps me understand the game, anticipate, and position myself well. Here, the team always wants to dominate and play positive football, which is different from my previous experiences, and he helped me adapt to this style and position my body well on the field."

"I wore number 51 for a long time at Independiente del Valle, then at Royal Antwerp FC. I am attached to it, and I like to keep the same number everywhere, but the main reason is my mother, who left us at that age. It's a way to remember her, it gives me strength in every match to give my best. I was very happy to be able to choose it here too, at PSG."

"These are moments of rare emotion. As a child, I never would have believed it possible. When it happened, I felt that I had succeeded, that it was a dream come true. I thanked the people who helped me, as well as God, for this talent shared with my teammates. I even asked myself why me, when there are so many talented players, but I ended up realizing it, and I was able to celebrate it with my family."

"You must never give up on a ball because you never know what can happen. That's my mentality: fight to the end and give everything. I felt that I could get that ball, and I managed to clear it. When it led to a goal to make it 2-0, I was delighted to have been able to help my teammates in that way."

"He is a great man. He is very attentive and is more interested in the human being than in the footballer, which I appreciate enormously because he was a player and understands us. On the field, he transmits to us this hunger for victory and this desire to improve every day. Since my arrival, I have had this mindset: we can always make progress through work. I prefer to focus on myself and on the team rather than on the press."

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