Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian left-back Maxwell explained how the dominant champions are happiest when firing on all cylinders, also expressing his admiration for his eventual successor, France international Layvin Kurzawa.
After a stellar season 2014-15, Paris Saint-Germain are on track to repeat their historic quadruple - the Trophée des Champions is already stitched up and they are into the final of the Coupe de la Ligue and the Coupe de France quarters - and they are even looking to add gloss to it by winning the league by an almost unthinkable margin.
Laurent Blanc's superstars make it look easy, but Maxwell insists that it takes hard work and mental strength.
"None of our matches is easy, we always need to fight to get three points because the teams we play always give 200 per cent against us. But we know the matches last 90 minutes, sometimes 95, and we are always patient," he told This is Paris on beIN SPORTS. "We look to play our football. Sometimes the opposition causes us problems, but we never panic, we always try to stay true to our philosophy, to dominate possession and to create chances."
All good things...
The former Ajax, Inter and Barcelona man has the experience to know the value of team play, reflection and patience.
"Sometimes at half-time, we talk about the match, the coaching staff can make a few changes," he continued. "But the team is always patient, we wear our opponents out. We know we have quality up front, so if we create chances, we know our attackers will deliver for us."
And it's working well - Blanc's men have a 24-point lead atop the league table which, given the hectic nature of the club's schedule as they compete in four competitions, has everything to do with a deeply rooted philosophy that means changes in personnel don't mean changes in quality.
"We're in a very important part of the season now. We have a big lead in the standings, which shows that even with though the coach is rotating a lot, we are still performing," he explained. "Everyone is playing their part, everyone wants to contribute to the success, to make a difference. That's important because it means every player can share the joy that comes with playing in big games, scoring goals and playing well."
'We have a great friendship'
Part and parcel of this methodology means that every now and again Maxwell has the opportunity to sit back and watch his deputy, France international Layvin Kurzawa, do his thing. And he likes what he sees.
"Layvin has always been very open with me, we have a great friendship. Every time he plays he shows what a good player he is, and we both give our maximum for the club," said the experienced defender. "Whoever is on the pitch, we support each other and that's the most important thing."
"Layvin's got a much more powerful shot than me! He has great technique, and he's already scored three great goals this season for Paris," Maxwell laughed. "So he's ahead of me in that department, that's for sure."
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