Former Paris Saint-Germain midfield talent Fabrice Pancrate is well familiar with the top forwards in world football over the 2000s as he played in Europe over this decade. Even so, he is comparing one current PSG forward to a fierce goal-scoring talent from two decades ago.
Mauro Icardi’s first season with the club garnered mixed reviews. Some talked about his 20-goal campaign in all competitions for the club while others spotlighted his underperformances over the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. But for Pancrate, he has seen enough of Icardi to go ahead and compare him to former Italian forward Filippo Inzaghi. In speaking to Le Parisien, Pancrate talked about Icardi’s playstyle and why his play in the penalty box is similar to that of Inzaghi’s.
“Icardi, if the others don’t play for him, he doesn’t exist,” Pancrate said. “His game is like Pippo Inzaghi: a good guy in the 18 meters and who puts in the bottom, who finishes. But if you don’t have players who go fast on the sides, who make the difference in midfield for him, he can’t exist.”
Inzaghi scored key goals in his career for club and country. While he was not a talent who provided much as an on-ball playmaker, he did possess a potent scoring prowess with five 20-goal seasons. On the other hand, Icardi has racked up four 20-goal seasons and is on par to record multiple more such campaigns. The similarities in playstyle are also surely evident as Icardi does need playmakers around him to be productive.
Want more PSG? Visit the PSG Talk Podcast Network page and subscribe to PSG Talking, The 1970, and 24th & Parc.