All eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe when Paris Saint-Germain visit Real Madrid tonight — but midfielder Marco Verratti could be the key man at the Bernabeu.
PSG head to Spain with a slender 1-0 lead after Mbappe’s brilliant last-minute goal in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Paris.
And rather than their vast array of attacking talent, it is arguably Italian maestro Verratti who can drive Mauricio Pochettino’s side to a quarter-final spot.
Ahead of tonight’s crunch encounter, we put the Euro 2020 winner under the spotlight.
A tough tackler
In Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Angel Di Maria, PSG are not short on attackers with flair, creativity and an eye for goal.
But for their forwards to function effectively, the men behind them must be able to win the ball back and get it into dangerous areas — and Verratti excels at both.
Of players to have played at least 1,200 minutes in Ligue 1 this season, the Italian ranks 19th for tackles attempted per 90 (2.79).
For a side that average 63.9% possession in the competition, that is a mightily impressive figure.
An aggressive presser
Verratti does not simply sit deep and break up opposition attacks that come his way.
The 29-year-old ace is also an aggressive presser and actively hunts the ball down in advanced areas, looking to create high turnovers and prevent the opposition from playing through midfield with ease.
In the Champions League, PSG’s No6 is averaging 1.58 possessions won in the attacking third per 90 — the 11th most among players to have appeared for at least 300 minutes in the competition.
‘A genius’
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Though Mbappe stole the headlines with his dramatic, last-gasp winner, Verratti played a key role in stifling Madrid as PSG claimed a 1-0 victory at the Parc des Princes.
In fact, Los Blancos did not manage a single shot on target — and Neymar was effusive in his praise of the 48-cap international after the final whistle.
He said: “I knew Verratti was an excellent player but I didn’t realise he was so spectacular.
“He’s a genius. He’s one of the best midfielders I’ve played with, along with Xavi Hernandez and [Andres] Iniesta.”
A midfield metronome
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Despite his qualities as a tackler and a presser, Verratti is far from just a pure ball-winning midfielder — possessing exceptional technical ability alongside his steel.
Once he has the ball, the Pescara native uses his expansive passing range to control games, acting as the hub through which PSG play.
Among players to have reached the 300-minute threshold, none average more touches per 90 than Verratti’s 114.02, while only Toni Kroos (92) has attempted more passes than him (90).
A press-resistant ball carrier
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Verratti is also agile in possession. He is able to dribble past an opposition press and carry the ball upfield before releasing it to one of the front three.
He has completed 3.43 take-ons per 90 in the Champions League, the eighth most in the tournament.
The 5ft 5in midfielder’s propensity to drive into attacking areas with the ball at his feet makes him a dynamic, varied threat, who is able to progress the ball by both dribbling and passing.
If PSG are to triumph over Real Madrid and reach the last eight of the Champions League, Verratti will need to display all of his qualities at the Bernabeu.
