Antonio Mohamed sets his sights on taking Toluca all the way to PSG in the Intercontinental Cup

December still feels far off, but Antonio Mohamed has already marked it on the calendar as his next obsession. Toluca's coach makes no secret that his mind is on the Intercontinental Cup and, more specifically, on a matchup that still sounds like fantasy: facing Paris Saint-Germain, the champion of Europe.

The "Turco" was candid in a conversation with ESPN. That dream game isn't handed to them on the schedule: they have to earn the right to play it first. "It's the biggest goal I have, but to get there we need to improve as a team, and that's the elite level. We still have three months, first to get there against the Libertadores champion, and we need to arrive in good physical shape," the coach explained.

There are no shortcuts on this path. Toluca will enter the tournament as Concacaf champion, and its first test will be nothing less than the winner of the Copa Libertadores, in the now-traditional Derby of the Americas. If the Diablos get past that round, the Challenger Cup still awaits, and only then, with a second win in hand, would the door open to the big one: the final against PSG. "There are two matches to get to PSG, and we have to focus on getting that job done to reach those games," Mohamed summed up.

A team that, according to its coach, hasn't hit its ceiling yet

What stands out is that Mohamed isn't framing this goal in isolation. He wants to fight on two fronts at once, without giving up on Liga MX along the way. "We want to arrive at December with everything, looking to win an international title. The league and the Intercontinental. What matters most is the league, finishing above everyone else, because we know that if we close out strong at home we're a tough team," he said, making clear he has no intention of choosing between competitions.

To sustain that double objective, the Argentine coach is counting on the return of key players. The recovery of players like Luis García, Santiago Simón and Erick Gutiérrez gives him fresh options on a squad that has been battered by injuries in recent months. "We haven't hit the ceiling yet and the team can still show its best version. New players have arrived, and we also knew about the injury situation. The team has what it takes for that," he noted.

Behind the soccer ambition there's something more personal. Mohamed has been in charge of Toluca for a year and nine months, and in that span he's collected six titles, a run he himself describes as one of the most special stretches of his career. He talks about the bond with the club and its fans as almost the true engine behind everything else.

It's been beautiful and it continues to be beautiful. We're on the path, and what we set out to do is enjoy it together. That's been one of the keys to our success. We'll keep looking to win every match. Not looking at the end of it all, but building game by game to reach the final.Antonio Mohamed

With three months ahead, Toluca knows the road to PSG runs first through the South American champion and then through the Challenger Cup. Nothing is guaranteed yet, but the "Turco's" ambition has already been said out loud.