Marco Verratti, the Al-Arabi SC midfielder, spoke to Foot Mercato about Gianluigi Donnarumma’s (26 years old) departure from Paris Saint-Germain. The Italian believes that his compatriot, a Champions League winner, was one of the key figures in the European triumph before being pushed out by Luis Enrique.
Verratti: “I think he was a little disappointed.”
“I was talking to him while this rumor was circulating. I think he was a little disappointed. That’s normal. He had just won the Champions League as one of the most important players of the season. When you win the Champions League, people often talk about luck, but it wasn’t really luck, because they played well. But there were moments when he had to step up with a decisive save, and he did that, not just once.”
Verratti: “He always wants to show that no one is untouchable.”
That’s what it means to be a great goalkeeper, because it’s impossible to win the Champions League with the last four or five teams, who are practically all the same. It’s difficult to win 3-0 and have one-sided matches. And he stepped up in the games where they needed him. I think we even won the Euros thanks to him. I think they won the Champions League largely thanks to him.
But ultimately, it’s also Luis Enrique’s decision. He always wants a change. He always wants to show that no one is untouchable. I think he’s landed in a good position at Manchester City in the Premier League, a new league. He’s already experienced three different leagues. I think for his experience, it’s going to be incredible.”
Luis Enrique has never been afraid to make tough decisions, and his time at Paris Saint-Germain is a perfect example of that. The Spaniard cultivates his own unique method: maintaining constant tension in the locker room to avoid any complacency. No one is untouchable, not even Marco Verratti, a Parc des Princes idol for over a decade, nor Gianluigi Donnarumma, the hero of the last Champions League.
With him, the hierarchy is rebuilt every week, based on form, attitude, and above all, commitment to the team’s game plan. This absolute rigor, inspired by his Barcelona background, sometimes leads to painful departures, but it reflects his conviction: the team always comes before status. The manager prefers to reshape his squad rather than work with players who no longer fit his overall vision of football.
