Marco Verratti played all 90 minutes against Real Madrid in Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 first-leg victory over Real Madrid. The 29-year-old took command of the midfield, which had his teammate, Neymar Jr., comparing the Italy international to some of the best midfielders ever.
Neymar spoke with UEFA after the match, where the Brazil international stated that Verratti is one of the better midfielders he’s played alongside, including Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.
“I knew Verratti was an excellent player, but I didn’t realize he was so spectacular. A genius. He’s one of the best midfielders I’ve played with, along with Xavi Hernández and Iniesta,” Neymar said.
In the 90 minutes against the Spanish club, Verratti touched the ball 123 times, completing 94 of 102 passes throughout the match. Furthermore, the 29-year-old had six key passes to go along with his three tackles, one interception, and winning eight of 13 total duels.
Verratti is one of the better midfielders in the world. So it’s frustrating from a PSG perspective when he’s unavailable, whether it’s due to suspension or injury because of the matches he can deliver for the capital club, especially in these big European games.
The Ligue 1 side hopes Verratti can replicate this performance in a couple of weeks at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
