Since the days of Marco Verratti, Blaise Matuidi, and Thiago Motta, Paris Saint-Germain has tried to put together a quality midfield rather than the patchwork they’ve done over the last few years.
Verratti is the staple of the capital club midfield, but the Italy international has seen a rotating door of people trying to fill Matuidi and Motta’s roles since their respective departures.
Although Les Parisiens could use an upgrade at that position, the club’s financial aspects probably won’t allow them to add a significant player of consequence this January window. As a result, they’ll need to improvise as they look ahead to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
On RMC Sport’s After Foot, French football analyst Jérôme Rothen came up with a solution to how PSG can improve their midfield play. The former capital club winger suggested playing Ángel Di María in the midfield with Verratti. Adding that PSG’s future for this season depends on Di María agreeing to play as a midfielder.
“PSG are not collectively the best team in the world, there are plenty of areas for improvement. There they are better. It should also be noted that when Marco Verratti is on the pitch, Neymar is very often excellent. Because each time, Verratti takes the ball to play forward and go serve it. Again Wednesday evening with passes to three or four meters. Verratti, he knows how to bring the ball to life, already he does not lose it. And in addition, there, Thomas Tuchel added another creative medium with Rafinha in the first period and Angel Di Maria in the second,” Rothen said.
“What I have been asking for for a long time. When I saw that, I got up from my seat! I said to myself: “No, it’s not possible, he understood, he will finally play Di Maria in the midfield!”Frankly, I think that the future of PSG and Thomas Tuchel depends on this: by the fact that Di Maria agrees to play again in the midfield. With a very creative midfielder, with a lot of control thanks to Verratti, Di Maria, and even Paredes, I think Neymar will be served in good conditions.”
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