Speaking to RMC Sport, Adrien Thomasson, the 32-year-old RC Lens midfielder, offered glowing praise for Vitinha, the 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain player. The former Strasbourg player emphasized Vitinha’s ability to dictate the tempo, manage periods of pressure, and make himself virtually invisible between the lines. This statement confirms the Portuguese player’s growing stature.
Thomasson: “Every time we play against PSG, it’s difficult.”
“I love everything about him. For me, he’s capable of scoring goals from long range, he dictates the tempo. Every time we play against PSG, it’s difficult because he’s the one who manages the periods of pressure.
He always positions himself in areas that are difficult to mark. That’s also why he’s the best player in the world right now: he has this ability to always avoid physical challenges.”
What Thomasson describes isn’t just a “clean” player: he’s a conductor who has learned to make the game uncomfortable for the opponent. Vitinha doesn’t dominate by seeking contact; he dominates by avoiding it at the right moment, positioning himself where the pressure arrives late and the next pass is devastating.
That’s precisely what “avoiding the duel” means: choosing to be ahead rather than fighting, and imposing his rhythm without exposing himself. Eventually, the observation becomes repetitive… and revealing: when even those who are on the receiving end talk about tempo, control, and spaces that are “difficult to exploit,” it means the Parisian midfielder has changed status. He’s no longer a promising talent; he’s a benchmark.
