Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho has warned his team-mates against complacency ahead of Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Villarreal. Despite PSG's flawless nine-game winning streak in all competitions, Pacho insisted the Spanish outfit deserve far more than their domestic results suggest.
Unstoppable PSG prepare for Villarreal trip
European champions Paris Saint-Germain travel to the Estadio de la Ceramica to face Villarreal on Tuesday night looking to maintain their perfect Champions League record. Luis Enrique's side have started their title defence in ruthless form, defeating Slovan Bratislava, Manchester City, and Barcelona.
PSG arrive in Spain on a nine-game winning run across all competitions, most recently dismantling Le Havre 5-1 in Ligue 1.
Right-back Achraf Hakimi scored a hat-trick and provided two assists during that victory in the absence of injured stars Ousmane Dembele and Kvaratskhelia.
Pacho warns against Champions League overconfidence
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, PSG centre-back Willian Pacho insisted the squad cannot take struggling Villarreal lightly despite their opponent sitting second from bottom in LaLiga. "Villarreal are a great team. They have probably deserved more than their results suggest so far, especially against Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool," Pacho explained.
"They like to have possession and know how to control a game. We always want to win and we want to rely on ourselves to do that."
"We are also aware that every game is different in the Champions League. This is the highest level. You can never afford to be overconfident for these games," the defender warned.
Defender hails Luis Enrique leadership and team unity
Pacho, who was recently nominated as a Ballon d'Or finalist, credited manager Luis Enrique and captain Marquinhos for maintaining elite standards in Paris. "He is a special coach. Before being a coach, he's a person that understands his players very well," Pacho said of Luis Enrique.
"He knows what the players need. He is very clear and precise in his language, very detailed."
On defensive partner Marquinhos and team depth, Pacho added: "Marquinhos is an incredible player... When a player is missing, another player steps in with that level. That helps the team maintain its standards."
Champions target double-digit winning streak
Villarreal will look to exploit PSG's tendency to concede, as all of the French side's European fixtures this term have seen goals at both ends.
However, Pacho emphasized that team silverware remains PSG's sole focus following back-to-back European crowns.
"We look more towards the team performance than individual recognition... That gives us the motivation to keep working hard," Pacho concluded ahead of kick-off.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
