"He showed me the way" - Marquinhos suggests Chelsea star is still one of the best in the world in his position

PSG defender Marquinhos has suggested that Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva is still one of the best in his position.

The PSG captain spent seven years with Marquinhos at the Parc des Princes. During that period, the two Brazilians built up a great understanding with one another at the heart of the PSG defence.

Marquinhos has heaped praise on his former teammate, telling Julien Maynard in an interview with Telefoot:

"Thiago showed me the way. He was one of the best defenders in the world, and he still is..."

Silva left PSG in 2020, and has gone on to find huge success at Premier League giants Chelsea.

Last season, the Brazilian defender won his first UEFA Champions League title with the Blues. His performances for Thomas Tuchel's side have attracted praise, with many dubbing him the best defender in the Premier League even at the age of 37.

Marquinhos will look to follow in his Brazilian teammate's footsteps as a long-awaited first UEFA Champions League trophy still eludes the former AS Roma defender.

Since joining PSG in 2013 from the Italian side for £26.8 million, Marquinhos has been a key player for the team. He came close to winning his first Champions League title in 2020, only to lose to Bayern Munich in the final.

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Thiago Silva to lead Chelsea to another Champions League title?

Silva won the player of the tournament at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Chelsea will go into the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League full of confidence, having won the FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday. They beat Brazilian outfit Palmeiras 2-1 after extra time to win the competition for the first time.

That confidence should keep them in good stead against Lille as Thomas Tuchel's side look to beat the French champions and go on to successfully defend their title. Thiago Silva was instrumental in their triumphant campaign last season. He will once again be at the forefront as the Blues seek a successful title defence.

Silva could potentially meet Marquinhos later in the tournament if the Blues and PSG can make it past Lille and Real Madrid respectively in the Round of 16.

Should they meet one another, the match would be a tantalising affair, with Tuchel returning to the Parc des Princes since his departure in 2019. The German manager has given his thoughts on how things ended for him at the Paris side, saying:

"PSG and Chelsea are at odds at the organisational level. During his first months in Paris, he had to manage the families and friends of his stars (…) Thomas Tuchel was more a Minister of Sports than a trainer. In Chelsea, where everything is more fluid, he can apply his work methodology with more serenity.”

It remains to be seen how both teams fare in this season's competition.