The captain of Paris Saint-Germain is Thiago Silva. And that will not change in the coming weeks, even if the Brazilian 35 is only there until the end of the Champions League campaign. "He is super professional, he is our captain and he will remain our captain until the end," said Thomas Tuchel at the end of June at his press conference. Bis repeated on Friday, after the card against Waasland-Beveren (7-0) in a friendly, at the Parc des Princes. With a little nuance however ... "If he's on the field, it's the captain, that's clear. He will be my captain until the last day, ”said the German coach.
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However, a captain is always titular ... In any case in normal times. But "Herr Tuchel" wants to be careful and transparent by asserting that competition is running at full speed. Asked about the potential number 1 status of Thiago Silva in his central defense hierarchy, he said: "It's like at the start of the season: we have Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe and Thiago Silva, who at the highest level in Europe . We are very happy that the three of them are there. If we play two in central defense, I have to choose two. ” In other words, none of the three is guaranteed to play, and neither does Thiago Silva. This status of captain is in no way a kind of immunity necklace in the eyes of the former Dortmund coach. Note that "O Monstro" started ... with the second team last Sunday in Le Havre (9-0 victory), the captaincy being occupied by "Marqui". He nevertheless found a place in the typical team against Beveren. And so the armband.
"The three are of the same level, the highest level"
Thomas tuchel"The most important thing is to arrive with the three," continues Tuchel. Who is the strongest ? It may be just a matter of feeling in the final days before the matches as to who will play. I can't say who will be playing at this time. All three are of the same level, the highest level. It is necessary to have several defenders in this team to achieve all of our objectives. ” Goals that will be linked at high speed, with the final of the Coupe de France against Saint-Etienne next Friday, that of the Coupe de la Ligue against Lyon the following week, and finally the Champions League (12 -23 August) on the side of Lisbon, with first a quarter-final against Atalanta Bergamo (12 August).
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It is also the prospect of this Cup with big ears that decided Thiago Silva to say yes to an extension of two months, when he was clearly a candidate for a much longer lease. The Brazilian international was not hiding from it: he aimed to stay next season, and even the next, with the 2022 World Cup in mind. But disappointment did not invite him to leave Paris, as Edinson Cavani and Thomas Meunier did. Like Sergio Rico, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Layvin Kurzawa (extended for 4 years), he stayed. According to RMC , most of his teammates encouraged him to continue the adventure with them, knowing that a European coronation has never been so close for PSG in Qatari sauce. The Red and Blue are indeed only three games away from a possible C1 title. Otherwise, it would be an apotheosis ending for Thiago Silva, who has been at the club for eight years. It remains to be seen whether it will be as a holder, or not ...
Remember that two other confirmed players can claim a place at the center in Paris: Abdou Diallo and Thilo Kehrer. Operated from the back a few weeks ago, the first is however still in the recovery phase. And the second is expected to start on the right in the coming weeks after Meunier's departure from Dortmund. In any case, they are not a priori credible competitors for the trio Marquinhos-Kimpembe-Thiago Silva.
Marquinhos in the middle, Kimpembe-Thiago Silva behind?
What Thomas Tuchel forgot to say is that Marquinhos is also a competitor ... for a starting position in the midfield. In fact, nobody has really imposed itself alongside Marco Verratti, neither Leo Paredes, nor Gana Gueye, nor Ander Herrera. Suddenly, there is every chance that "Marqui" will continue to help out in midfield by the end of August, as has been the case for long weeks, months, opening wide the door to a Kimpembe-Thiago Silva association. It will be different after the latter's departure, with Marquinhos - likely future captain - that we imagine going down a notch and finding his favorite position, and a new environment that could be recruited this summer. Unless Thomas Tuchel decides to anticipate the call and immediately give the keys to the hinge Marquinhos / Kimpembe for the Champions League, the one which should be privileged in 2020-21 and perhaps in the years to come .
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