Dis Wednesday night, for di second leg of Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, Vitinha go play im 200th match for PSG, while Willian Pacho go reach 100 games for di club.
Di match na for Allianz Arena, and PSG carry one goal advantage from di first leg wey bin end 2-1 for Paris.
Vitinha, di Portuguese midfielder wey join from Porto for July 2022, don become key player for di team. Pacho, di Ecuadorian defender wey come from Eintracht Frankfurt almost two years ago, don quickly establish himself as reliable defender.
Interestingly, both players be di only two for Luis Enrique squad wey don play all 1,350 minutes of Champions League action dis season.
According to So Foot interview, former PSG defender Christophe Jallet talk say Pacho be excellent surprise. ‘I no know am well before im arrive PSG, but im be part of dat incredible team wey roll over Europe last season,’ Jallet tok.
‘Im get di soul of a true defender. Im be hyper reliable defender wey dey among di best for Europe for im position,’ Jallet add.
Bruno Ngotty, another former PSG defender, describe Pacho as somebody wey dey bring plenty serenity. ‘Im do im job well well. Im know where im come from and always give im best for every match,’ Ngotty yarn.
Grégory Bourillon call Pacho complete defender. ‘Whether for intelligence of game, physical presence, duels, or ball distribution, im excel. Im dey very complementary with Marquinhos. Since im arrive, di defense don become more solid,’ Bourillon tok.
Didier Domi praise Pacho speed and reading of game. ‘Im get aggression and don start to take leadership. Im be very brave, courageous, and valiant. Im be excellent teammate. Na monster,’ Domi yarn.
Jocelyn Angloma, wey play for PSG from 1990 to 1991, talk say wetin dey impress am be Pacho calm and serenity. ‘To play well for club like PSG, you need plenty assurance and confidence. Im get am,’ Angloma yarn.
Di defenders also discuss Pacho technical qualities. Angloma note say Pacho be modern defender wey dey hard on man but dey play with calm. ‘Im never panic. Na im character,’ im tok.
Jallet observe say Pacho dey commit few fouls and dey engage cleanly. ‘We hardly see am tackle,’ im add.
Ngotty talk say Pacho never dey too close to attacker to avoid being beaten. ‘Im dey very good for anticipation. Im never do too much, even though im be intransigent for marking,’ im yarn.
Jallet also mention say Pacho no dey try crazy passes. ‘Im dey play simple, pass to di next person. Im don enter system wey suit am perfectly,’ im tok.
When ask to compare Pacho-Marquinhos partnership with Thiago Silva-Marquinhos, di former defenders give different opinions. Jallet laugh say dem no be di same. ‘Thiago Silva be more elegant with ball and be fantastic distributor, with technical quality wey dey far above average for defender. But im maybe get less intensity for defending. Pacho dey harder on man. Marquinhos be younger back den, na im be di small boy for relationship with Thiago Silva. Now, with Pacho, na im be di papa. Dem be two completely different players wey match perfectly with Marquinhos qualities for dis moment,’ Jallet explain.
Ngotty believe say Thiago Silva don mark di new era for PSG. ‘Pacho just dey begin wetin Thiago Silva don do. For now, Thiago Silva be di best defender for club history,’ im tok.
Bourillon no agree. ‘Marquinhos, when im pair with Thiago Silva, im be for im prime. Even though im still excellent, im really be for im prime. Thiago Silva be monstrous defender. So no, dem be different eras and different styles of PSG,’ im yarn.
Domi think say if Pacho meet Marquinhos wey be two or three years younger, di pair go be di best. ‘Apart from im leadership, Thiago Silva get fantastic reading of game. Pacho get dat animal side, im no fear person and accept responsibility. Di best pair na Pacho-Marquinho. Na di most complementary,’ Domi tok.
Angloma say di comparison hard. ‘Thiago Silva be very strong! I love dat Brazilian partnership. But sometimes you fit feel some fragility. Di difference with Pacho be say im always serene,’ im yarn.
Di former defenders also yarn about how e take be to establish for club like PSG with plenty pressure. Ngotty talk say di problem when you arrive for PSG na strong competition. ‘You get three, four, five defenders, but only two dey play. Different from other clubs, you no even sure to be starter. To win Europe, league, cup, and all trophies, you need group. And group mean several players,’ im explain.
Jallet say e always hard when you arrive. ‘For me e different because I already dey club when e become big Paris. E dey impressive at start. Di stadium, di environment, you need to understand everything. I think na one of Pacho strong points. Last year im arrive like hair on soup, we no too yarn about im transfer, but im succeed to establish. And when dem no expect you, e dey easier. Where im be very strong na after winning European champion, di ability to repeat for second season, di confirmation season. Mentally, im dey very solid and dis South American side, dis grinta, help am to face all challenges,’ Jallet yarn.
Domi add say character and head dey important for integration. ‘Especially for defender, because im be di hard drive of di team. Defenders dey see everything,’ im tok.
Bourillon note say Paris be club wey dey exposed to media. ‘Any mistake dey detailed, dissected, and pointed out. But today, dese players get talent and experience to face all dat. Zabarnyi suffer from dat. We only point out im errors, but we forget all im qualities. You need patience,’ im yarn.
Angloma mention say di difference with im era na social media. ‘Dem dey judge you all di time by everybody. Di environment also play big role for acclimatization for club like PSG. Di player personality too,’ im tok.
When ask if dem consider Pacho as legend for PSG, Ngotty say all of dem be legends today. ‘Di fact to be for dis PSG, dis new era, to win Champions League and all odder titles, and to start dis season with new Champions League campaign and new semi-final…’ im yarn.
Domi say if im continue like dis, of course. ‘But e too early because im no stay long enough,’ im add.
Bourillon say you need longevity, wey im no get yet. ‘But based on im individual performances and collective trophies wey im don win with PSG, im go be among players wey we go remember,’ im tok.
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