With the aim of providing our readers with richer content, we’ve launched a section analyzing key moments in a match, whether goals scored or conceded, skillful plays, missed opportunities, and more. The goal is to determine the degree of collective or individual success, or error, in each action. Here’s the latest installment. This particular sequence is from the 5-3 victory against Tottenham during Matchday 5 of the 2025-2026 Champions League. It focuses on the ball lost by Vitinha (the 25-year-old midfielder) leading to the third goal conceded, despite the admirable work done off the ball by Fabian Ruiz (the 29-year-old midfielder).
The situation where Vitinha receives the ball from a pass by Lucas Hernandez.
For the moment, PSG is in control, and Vitinha, as is often the case, is coming in to orchestrate the play. There are several movements around him. But here we’re focusing on Fabian Ruiz, who had moved down the wing to provide an option and stretch the opposing defense.
Vitinha approaches, so Ruiz moves up to free up space and even be an option for a quick attack. With a slight risk, Vitinha could have passed to the Spaniard for a very promising forward run. But the Portuguese controlled the ball and returned to the back.
The situation when Lucas Hernandez dribbles before passing to Vitinha again.
Played back by Vitinha, Hernandez took advantage of the latter’s presence with a feint and a burst of speed. He is now in a position to pass to the Portuguese midfielder with space and time. Especially since Ruiz doesn’t stop. Likely to avoid overloading the flank (there’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who isn’t visible in the image) and to still have an option, the Spaniard moves forward and cuts back towards the center, behind his opponent. Ruiz follows him, thus leaving Vitinha undisturbed.
The situation when Vitinha receives the ball.
Vitinha had space in front of him, even though there was pressure coming from his right, forcing him to choose quickly. He could have passed to Ruiz, who had already moved forward. With Kvaratskhelia and Quentin Ndjantou pinning the defense to the side, a pass through the middle to Ruiz was a possibility.
He also made a run in behind the defenders and was an interesting option for a long pass. Possibly to then find Kvaratskhelia or Ndjantou (we can assume they would have followed up).
