Lille – Paris Saint-Germain / Verratti – Vitenha (Paris Saint-Germain): False twins, real pair

It is two-sine. Verratti (1.65m) and Vitina (1.72m) do not offer an impressive size. But the similarities between the two Parisian circles are far from stopping there. In some aspects of the game, the similarity is staggering. However, Italians and Portuguese do not have the exact same profile. Small differences in their respective records and above all a great integration between two players were brought in to give another dimension to the Parisian midfield.

What do they have in common?

In a different profile, they see the game the same way. Like Verratti, Vitinha especially values ​​double passes and short serving. In Paris Saint-Germain, they are the two players who have successfully executed the most short passes (85 for Verratti, 74 for her twos) with a similar success rate (93%). In this approach, they also have a common denominator in striving to move forward, through the quality of the passing and also thanks to technology clearly above average for their positions. Both collected 303 yards gained on the ball during the first two days of L1. Only Leo Messi has performed better so far (325m).

What makes Vitinha even closer to Verratti is this ability to read an opponent’s match perfectly. All of them have a somewhat exceptional ability to read and predict the opponent’s transmissions. And when they haven’t gotten the ball back, the players also know how to use vice to make these “tactical” mistakes to interrupt actions. This sometimes results in yellow cards. Verratti is a specialist, but Vitenha is a strong contender with three yellow cards in three matches already and a suspension against Monaco. “I’ve played three matches without yellow cards and Vitenha took my place, it’s good!Verratti also joked after PSG – Montpellier (5-2).

What distinguishes them

That’s a little extra Verratti. The Italian has an extensive track record, but is particularly valuable in the pure recovery track record. In the first two matches of L1, the difference with Vitinha was in particular in the number of successful tackles (6 for Verratti, 0 for Vitinha), but particularly on the number of presses made on the opponent: 47, including 13 successful with either success rate 27.7% for Verratti versus 18, including one success rate, which is a 5.6% success rate for Vitinha. The Italian player has more balls recovered than the Portuguese (19 vs. 9), who competes only on the number of balls intercepted (3, vs. 2 for Verratti).

That’s a little extra from Vitinha. The Portuguese are not satisfied with being a base for offensive moves. They accompany them with one-twos order, create triangular games, and regularly finish moves in the penalty area. The Portuguese is not the first player to want to score, but his presence makes things easier for the attackers. “We are a little differentPerfectly summed up Verratti after the win over Montpellier. He plans a lot. He knows how to play without the ball. Create spaces for others.“Wietinha still has other offensive qualities that Verratti does not have, such as shooting the ball in particular.

What makes it integrated?

Everyone plays their favorite role within the dual axis created by Galtier. Verratti is more supportive with the game that awaits him, and faints her with the freedom of movement that he loves. But they also know how to get out of their comfort zone depending on the progress of the work and compensate for each other’s moves to maintain group balance. Thus, each of them is able to express the fullness of his talent while enhancing the other. It still lacks automation to master the exchanges between players, but the connection of this pair is already clear. “I will be told it’s not physical enough but the important thing is to use the ball,” Christophe Galtier confirmed Friday at a press conference.

• The game plan that suits them

Campos did not go looking for Vitina by chance. The PSG sporting advisor was well aware of the Portuguese’s profile, his ability to fit in with the scheme, the philosophy of play advocated by Gallitter, and the potential of the duo he could form with Verratti. The two players are the cornerstone of the infernal pressure that Paris Saint-Germain imposed in the first two matches of the first level, not only because they have the talent for it but also because they like it. They have the same game idea that goes perfectly with the Galtier project. The duo is more complementary. And time will tell if it will be as effective as the one that Verratti formed with Thiago Motta. When the Paris Saint-Germain midfield was an asset, not a problem.

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