PSG/Arsenal – Nuno Mendes is calm, but the trap remains

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·20 May 2026

PSG/Arsenal – Nuno Mendes is calm, but the trap remains

Present at Media Day, Nuno Mendes, 23, Paris Saint-Germain’s left-back, showed a very calm mindset ahead of the upcoming final. The Portuguese defender emphasized his recovery, the team’s motivation, and the experience gained, while also reminding everyone that the occasion will still be very demanding.

Nuno Mendes: “Today I’m calm.”

“I feel good, I’ve rested! There are still 10 days left to rest and do everything I need to do to arrive in good shape. We’re motivated. It’s a source of pride to be in the final two times in a row. The team is doing well. The mindset is at its highest level. We know it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be a great match against a great team. […] They also have several players who are going to the World Cup, so they are great players. We’re going to try to be good from start to finish. It was difficult last year. It was the first one, so we had a bit of nervousness in our stomachs. But today I’m calm.”

Nuno Mendes’ comments above all reflect progress in the way he approaches an event like this. Where the discovery of a final could create a particular tension, the Paris defender now seems better able to handle the wait, the rest, and the pressure. This calmness is nothing like overconfidence: he speaks of a motivated group, a mindset at a high level, but also of a difficult match against a very high-level opponent.

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That is precisely the balance that stands out from his remarks. PSG can be pleased to see such an important player arrive with freshness and clarity, without slipping into the easy talk of a self-assured favorite. At this stage, serenity is a strength, as long as it remains tied to the demands of the moment.

For Nuno Mendes, this final therefore seems less like an unknown mountain than a summit to be climbed methodically. PSG will need that kind of maturity: confidence, yes, but certainly not the misleading comfort of those who think they have already understood the match before playing it.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.