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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Marco Verratti recently provided an insight into his role at the club, highlighting how he helps the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi.
The Italian has been with the Ligue 1 club since 2012 and has been a key player in midfield for them. He does all the dirty work while also initiating attacking plays. Verratti talked to L'Equipe about his role and said:
“I will never be a player who scores twenty goals a season or makes ten assists. For me, the most important thing is to make my teammates feel comfortable, in a good position to create chances."
He further added:
“So, when I manage to make a pass between the lines for Messi or Neymar, it can cause danger. That’s my role: to be in control of the match, to know when to speed up the game and when to calm it down.”
Verratti helps the PSG midfield function smoothly. The workrate of many attacking players has been criticized repeatedly by fans and pundits. So having a workhorse like Verratti in midfield is a big plus for manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The 29-year-old has played 19 games so far this season in all competitions, scoring twice and assisting once. However, he is the team's top passer per match in the league with an average of 75.6 passes. He also puts in an average of 2.2 tackles per match in the league.
PSG face Rennes next before the big clash against Real Madrid
The French giants take on Rennes at Parc de Princes in Ligue 1 on Friday. They come into the match on the back of a stunning 5-1 win over Lille at the weekend. But PSG will be vary of Rennes, who defeated them 2-0 in the league in October.
After the clash against Rennes, the Ligue 1 giants will go up against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Round of 16 clash would be crucial not only for the club, but also for manager Mauricio Pochettino.
After they crashed out of the Coupe de France last week, losing to Nice on penalties, there were calls for Pochettino's sacking. However, if he manages to defeat Real Madrid over the two legs, it could go a long way in redeeming the Argentine.
