It was a small event that took place on Sunday evening, on the lawn of the Parc des Princes.
While Parisians and Rémois were preparing to complete a soporific first period, with a dominating but not dangerous PSG, and a Stade de Reims waiting for counterattacks, Marco Verratti warmed up the atmosphere.
Which Verratti did not ask any questions when resuming, from the left please, a blocked shot from Mauro Icardi.
Incoming post, string, 1-0 (44th).
The first wick, before a ride for the 2020 European vice-champions in the second half (4-0 victory), in this closing poster for the 22nd day of the French championship.
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Calendar and results Ligue 1
League 1 standings
It was enough to see the mocking smile of the Italian and the amused congratulations of his teammates to understand that a goal from Verratti is not usual… Earlier in the meeting, we had had a glimpse of the few Appetite of the former Pescara for the last gesture with this cross coming from the right and this race from Verratti, in perfect position to take the lead. Despite his voluntary and inspired race, he never really had the intention of sticking with the helmet that seemed to be needed... And no one believed in it in the sparse spans of the Park. It will be necessary to wait for a possible quarter-final of the Coupe de France or the reception of Real, on February 15, to find a Parisian enclosure boiling and full to bursting, after the end of the gauges in the stadiums.
10th goal in Parisian colors
In the meantime, Verratti has therefore scored.
His 10th goal in Paris colors, in 363 matches.
The first since April 3, 2019. It was against Nantes, in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France (3-0).
And the first in the framework of the French championship since May 6, 2017, when the "Little Owl" took advantage of the inattention of the Bastia doorman, Jean-Louis Leca, who was taking news of the Parisian midfielder Blaise Matuidi, injured, to light the wick from outside the penalty area (5-0).
Happy goal, mischievous goal.
Kind of like the boy.
Read alsoTops / Flops PSG-Reims: Champagne for Verratti, not for Icardi
Marco Verratti goalscorer? A common joke at Camp des Loges. After one of his three achievements with the Italian selection, in March 2019 against Lichtenstein, Thomas Tuchel did not fail to chamber his midfielder: “
It's incredible, for me it was impossible for him to score. Yesterday, in training, he scored again. In a mini-goal and without a goalkeeper, but he scored (smile). There are a lot of jokes around that in the locker room. We will now see if he is able to continue or if it was the only goal of his career…
”Almost a year later, at the start of 2020, the German coach gave a layer after a strike from the Italian against the Greens, in the League Cup. "
When he hits, we always check if we are prepared for the cover, because when he shoots, it never scores!
Even in training?
Yes, if the goalkeeper is on the other field, it is possible that he scores (smile)
”, laughed Thomas Tuchel.
“He's a guy who likes to make everyone happy. He'd rather give an assist than score because he knows another guy will be happy. It's him, it's his character. »
Thomas Tuchel
More seriously, “Herr Tuchel” had pointed out that Verratti, 29, “
is a guy who likes to make everyone happy. He'd rather give an assist than score because he knows another guy will be happy. It's him, it's his character. I love that. He is always there to protect everyone, to make everyone happy. It's not his job to score. He can keep trying (smiles). But if he can find another (player), we're not angry.
»
Especially when he evolves at the level he has been lately and when he manages to avoid the infirmary, to have continuity, there is indeed no reason to get upset about Marco Verratti. Especially since the Italian European champion returned the cover on Sunday evening, finding the fault in the 67th minute, with a strike from the right this time, for the 3-0. Although, the shot was diverted and the goal, a priori granted to Rémois Wout Faes against his camp. Verratti's first double, lined up in the position of torchbearer rather than sentry, will wait.
The other two Parisian scorers of the day are not regulars of the genre either. Defender Sergio Ramos scored his first goal in his new colors and midfielder Danilo Pereira his second of the season. None of the attacking players who played on Sunday night beat Predrag Rajkovic from Kylian Mbappé to Mauro Icardi, Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi, the latter having entered the game and returned to competition after going through the Covid box.
A game apart in this sense, a bit like this goal and almost this double from Marco Verratti, replaced in the 77th after a full game (112 balls, 88% of successful passes, two last passes before a shot) - he was by far the best player on the field on Sunday evening - which Paris Saint-Germain will however need more for his talents as a creator and recovery than as a goalscorer in the weeks and months to come.
Still, that can't hurt either...