Italian midfielder and Paris Saint-Germain star Marco Verratti has said that Ligue 1 is harder than La Liga and that Barcelona and Real Madrid would struggle to put 5 goals past the opposition in France.
He explained in his column for Goal that the highly underrated French league is evolving continuously, “I want today to speak about Ligue 1, our championship, which is criticised abroad but also too often in France. The championship has evolved in recent years - in the right direction.”
He went on to state that he did not fully understand Ligue 1 when he just arrived from Italy,
Learned on the job
“I didn't know too much about it when I arrived. I knew Lyon well because they had great players but I've really learned about the other teams now and I can tell you that it is a very difficult championship,” wrote Verratti.
The Italian further highlighted how their games progressed under Carlo Ancelotti and compared all the leagues in Europe saying that Ligue 1 was much more physical than the Italian Serie A.
“If you are not concentrating in a match you can lose against anyone. I remember our first matches with Carlo Ancelotti; we did not win much, we often had draws. It was a bit of a surprise for me as I didn't think we would have trouble like that. This is very different from Italy where the game is very tactical. Ligue 1 is much more physical.”
England is a show
He even branded the English game as a “show” and attributed the German game to the “crowd.”
“In England, there is often a show on the pitch. In Germany, the crowd is important. In Italy, everything is about tactics and in Spain it's technique. I think the word that best describes Ligue 1 is physical,” Verratti added in his column.
He went on to highlight how the game in Italy is undergoing problems, while France is thriving in both their own league and the Champions League and urged football fans to take a look at French clubs’ results in European competitions.
Also read: 5 World Class stars who can move to Real Madrid or Barcelona in the future
“Serie A, which is fourth in the UEFA rankings, has faced many difficulties in recent years, with Inter and AC Milan having problems in the league and then Roma or Napoli having disappointing results in the Champions League. Perhaps France will be able to return soon.”
“To defend Ligue 1, you should look at the results in the Champions League. Monaco are first in their group, Lyon can still qualify and they are only fourth in the championship,” the Italy midfielder wrote.
Barca and Real would struggle for goals in France
Verratti compared the game in France and Spain further highlighting that smaller teams in France are much more difficult to break down than in Spain and that is the reason that Real Madrid and Barcelona score more goals against them, which of course is open to debate,
“In France, especially, it is even more difficult against teams who are a little lower in the standings as these teams are often compact and difficult to play against,” he wrote. “In the other championships, it's a little different. In Spain, for example, an average team that faces Real Madrid or Barcelona will forget the opponents and play football. They are used to a more open, less defensive game.”
“This is the reason why it is easier for Real Madrid or Barcelona to score five or six goals. I'm not sure they could score as much in France - especially away. I like this way of playing, as the Spaniards do, but it is more difficult to find spaces in France,” the PSG midfielder concluded.
Marco Verratti has been linked with a move away from Paris according to recent reports, with English Premier League leaders Chelsea rumoured to be interested in the midfielder, given that Antonio Conte is Italian and has worked with the player before while managing the Italian national side.
It is a move that could be possible, but Verratti, at the moment, seems determined to help PSG retain the Ligue 1 title and go further in the Champions League.
More Football news, transfer rumours, analysis and features at Sportskeeda.com. Also if you are attending a football game anywhere in the world and/or have a news tip for us drop us an email at football (at)sportskeeda (dot) com.
