FRANCE coach Didier Deschamps will find some of his players in a strange state when they return from Paris St Germain’s weekend celebrations, forward Ousmane Dembele said following the club’s first Champions League triumph.
PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 in the final in Munich on Saturday, recording the biggest winning margin in the showpiece match of the continent’s premier club competition.
France players, including PSG’s Lucas Hernandez, Warren Zaire-Emery, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Dembele, are due to rejoin the national squad at Clairefontaine from Monday to prepare for Thursday’s Nations League semi-final against Spain.
“There you go, we’ve made a whole nation, a whole city proud. And, like they say, the party is just getting started. Didier is going to find us in a strange state,“ the 28-year-old joked during an interview on French television channel M6.
The France international described the festivities as a long-awaited release after years of heartbreak.
PSG’s previous Champions League final appearance was in 2020, when they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich.
“It’s exceptional, what just happened. Winning finals is great, but doing it in this way is even better, it’s even more thrilling,“ said Dembele.
“Honestly, we deserve it. After so many years of hardship and battles, I think Paris St Germain truly deserves this victory.”
There has been rejoicing in Paris as fans await the team’s arrival on Sunday but Dembele urged supporters to keep the festivities peaceful.
More than 500 people were arrested by police and two people were reported dead during wild celebrations in France.
