In the last seven years he has studied and faced, until he became the young version of Thiago Silva • At the end of the season he will inherit the captain's film from him and already tonight against Atlanta he will have to prove his leadership • Although they like to hate PSG, players like Marcinius make you want In its success

• With Silva. Learn from your old friend everything you need to know

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  AFP

When Paris Saint-Germain comes to the mind of the average football fan, it is often accompanied by negative thoughts - about a rich team that has become the sole control of its league, one that sanctifies hedonistic stars at the expense of team connection.

The few failures the team has experienced in recent years from the City of Lights, especially in the Champions League, lead to a festival of joy for Eid, but we may be guilty of our attitude towards the French champions.

Maybe instead of looking at Neymar, who has been wanting to run away for three years - from the day he arrived at the Parc de France - or Killian Ambape, for whom Paris is just a stopover for Real Madrid, we should focus on players like Thiago Silva and Marcinius - the captain, who will end his contract Season, and his successor.

Marcinius. Emblem of the French champion // Photo: AFP 

The day the 35-year-old stopper's contract expires, along with the season of the French in the Champions League, will be the day his compatriot is officially appointed to replace him. The expected choice for Marcinius, who currently serves as a second captain, is the natural choice not just because of the hierarchy. The collaboration over the last few years and the little things he learned from his good friend on and off the pitch were a kind of long-term overlap that shaped the character of a Brazilian national team player inside and outside the club.

Marcinius arrived from Rome in 2013, a year after Silva, and since then has extracted every bit of information from him, completed it and become the person closest to him, despite the age gap between them. He just became Silva in a younger version. "I do not state, but believe that the club has already made the decision," said the veteran captain, "Marky is only 26 years old but he has a lot of experience. He is an amazing leader, who always motivates his teammates."

Marcinius with Neymar and Mbabane. Need to know who to look at // Photo: AFP 

Head cleaning

Beyond his abilities on the field, Marcinius brings with him many other equally important things. With the leadership ability, composure and seniority he has accumulated, he has become a positive figure who inspires the rest of the players. Recently, when the issue of wage cuts came up in the face of the Corona crisis, he was sent along with Silva to hold negotiations with the management on behalf of the players.

Another event that proved its strength was when pictures were posted of the players having fun after the defeat to Dortmund in the first game of the Champions League quarterfinals. The exposure caused a huge commotion, the fans were furious and the players received criticism. The only one who agreed to be interviewed on the subject and defend his teammates was the vice-captain, who said: "We understand the criticism and the fact that the crowd thinks it is disrespectful, but overall we wanted to forget a bit about football, laugh and think of other things."

Marcinius in action. Will stop Atlanta's attack? // Photo: AFP 

The head-cleaning of the French champions in the last three years may lead to them reaching the quarter-finals of the factory for the first time in the Sheikhs' era in Qatar, but tonight awaits them the most dangerous attack they have encountered this year, that of Atlanta. Gian Piero Gasparini's side have scored 114 goals this season in 46 games in Serie A and the Champions League, averaging 2.3 goals per game.

As he has done quite a bit in the last two years in big games, and according to practice in the last week's training, it is very possible that Thomas Tuchel has stabilized Marcinius in the back link, especially in light of Marco Varati's shortfall, Idrissa Gay's inability and Andrew Pardes' inexperience in games like this. "I like him playing as a back midfielder because he extracts a lot of balls far from the goal, helps the offensive players focus on their missions and closes the areas very quickly when attacking," the German coach explained.

After all the disappointments in recent years at the important factory on the continent, the importance of Marcinius will take on a new meaning when he will have to push his friends, especially mentally, to pass the challenging test in the form of the wonderful Cinderella from Bergamo. If he succeeds, perhaps the perspective of all of us on the Parisians will change, especially for players like him.