In the summer of 2023, Paris Saint-Germain underwent some major changes. The arrival of coach Luis Enrique in particular, with a number of notable departures. One of these was Marco Verratti, who arrived from Pescara in 2012. The 32-year-old midfielder, who is now based in Qatar, spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about that moment. He denies that it was a choice made by the Spanish coach, of whom he speaks very highly.
Verratti “they think a lot about the collective, Luis Enrique is brilliant.”
“PSG wins today without stars.
It’s not like that, the stars are there, he’s got them. He’s created a great group, they think a lot about the collective, Luis Enrique is brilliant. They’ll be winning for years to come.
Oh, one thing: they wrote that I left PSG because Luis Enrique wanted me to. Wrong: I can assure you that my conversation with Nasser goes back much further, where I told him I was leaving because I wanted new challenges. We’ve remained on very good terms, and he’s a wonderful person.
Verratti “In Paris, winning was now monotonous, repetitive.”
Why did you leave?
Let’s just say that I needed a new challenge, a new motivation. I already knew Doha and I’ve always loved it: when the opportunity arose, well, it was the choice of life. And I’m glad I did. In Paris, victory was a foregone conclusion: I’ve rediscovered something “childlike” here, the joy of winning, like when you were a child. Happiness. In Paris, winning was monotonous and repetitive.”
It’s always difficult to be certain about this moment, as the versions put forward are so different. But it makes sense to listen to Verratti’s story rather than the rumors. Perhaps Verratti had reached the end of his tether in Paris after 11 years and so many emotions. The fact of being targeted by some of the fans may also have played a part. Especially as it seemed unfair.
In any case, there already seemed to be less enthusiasm in Verratti’s matches before the arrival of Luis Enrique. A certain weariness could be seen at times, and that’s what stands out here. Perhaps Luis Enrique tried to change things, or quickly sensed that the midfielder no longer had the desire to be part of his team.
It’s a shame, as many would have liked to see a fully fit Verratti in this team. But that’s the way it is, you can’t mix all eras. The Italian needed something different, and PSG turned the page very well.
