Vitinha, a 25-year-old midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal, spoke to Ligue 1+ in an interview broadcast this Sunday before the match against Nantes. He was asked to discuss his role and the importance of coach Luis Enrique in his career.
Vitinha: “You have to get out of your comfort zone.”
“In a team where we have the ball, where we want to get out from behind the goalkeeper, it’s perfect for me. I’m very comfortable playing up front. I like to touch the ball. I have the opportunity to do it.
My role in this midfield?
You have to get out of your comfort zone, do other things, do the things a number 8 or a number 10 would do; I have that in my baggage. I have other characteristics; I’m not the most aggressive, the toughest player. I have to adapt.”
Vitinha: “I didn’t know how to position myself up front to have the most fluidity.”
Luis Enrique’s contribution?
I didn’t know how to position myself up front to have the most fluidity for the team. If you can improve, that’s even better. Luis Enrique gave me that. He told me that when I have the ball on the run, going forward is wonderful. Confidence is the key.”
It was long said that PSG needed to recruit a physically powerful midfielder, then that coach Luis Enrique was fooling himself by dropping Vitinha down a notch rather than leaving him as a relay. Finally, the Spanish coach found the player he needed for his style of play. And the Portuguese continues to be decisive at times, like Sunday in Nantes. It’s yet another good reminder that you need to step back and be able to analyze things more thoroughly rather than getting bogged down in the ideas put forward by certain journalists or media outlets that take up space.
Luis Enrique has been able to help Vitinha progress, like many other players, and find him a role that suits him. It’s a very nice move by the Spanish coach, and his Portuguese international doesn’t forget to express his gratitude. This is something that can be found in the speeches of many other players, and it’s probably no coincidence. He also always displays that famous confidence. We can only hope that Vitinha can continue at this level for a long time to come. He seems well on his way.
