Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Rafinha has been showcasing just why the club made the right decision to go out and sign him over the recent summer transfer window. The Brazilian midfielder just recently orchestrated a pair of strong showings in PSG’s wins against Montpellier and Istanbul Basaksehir.
Former PSG manager Luis Fernandez is becoming a fan of the Brazilian talent. Not only does Fernandez believe that Rafinha should play more, but he sees that the midfielder has already established a case to be a regular in manager Thomas Tuchel’s starting lineups. Fernandez spoke to Le Parisien about his ideal midfield setup for PSG this season and also touched on why Rafinha is deserving of being a starter for the team.
“I have always advocated playing with a sentry like Thiago Motta or Mikel Arteta,” Fernandez said. “This allows me to bring the ball out cleanly and break the lines to go back forward. It’s the discipline and technique of a Motta that you have to find again. Marco Verratti can take on this role with Paredes at his side. The two can swap and ensure a good level of recovery and animation.
“To complete the trio, I would line up Rafinha. He is an intelligent, technical and aggressive player.”
Tuchel has not had that one go-to midfield setup this season, as he is now regularly switching up the team’s formation. But as of late, Rafinha has done well to prove that he is deserving of starting minutes.
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