Fabian Ruiz hasn’t played since January 20th, and his absence at Paris Saint-Germain is keenly felt, being one of the reasons for the Parisians’ occasional lack of control. Edouard Cissé, a former PSG midfielder, offered some insight to Le Parisien into the importance of the 29-year-old Spanish international in the Parisian team’s midfield.
“The three of them have found excellent harmony.”
“Warren’s brief spell was very interesting, and to say that PSG wasn’t good without Ruiz would be dishonest. He’s a player who needs rhythm, but at 100%, Fabian Ruiz provides defensive balance. He has this ability to dictate the game.
When there’s only Vitinha on the pitch, the opposition would say he’s the man to contain. With Neves, it becomes more complicated, and if you add Ruiz, it’s almost impossible to get the ball out of defense.” He’s a great complement to Vitinha, and he also allows João Neves to play a bit further up the pitch. The three of them have found excellent harmony.
It’s worth remembering that PSG played very well without Ruiz and that Zaïre-Emery also has a say in midfield. However, Ruiz is a special player, and it’s difficult to replicate the same style of play without him. The Parisian has more physical presence, while the Spaniard has greater balance and daring on the ball. That’s not illogical; there’s a 10-year age gap.
And Ruiz, despite a period of intense criticism in Paris that has been put aside since the second half of the 2024-2025 season, is a truly great player. He’s not the most spectacular, but he has a particular understanding of what the team needs, both in his positioning and his passing. He helps the entire PSG team be more unpredictable, especially when playing out from the back. His presence is an asset and we hope that his knee will be healed soon.
