Vitinha, the 25-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview. He was asked to comment on PSG’s unusual second-place finish in Ligue 1, behind RC Lens.
Vitinha: “There are several reasons, and they are not excuses.”
“Our position in Ligue 1? There are several reasons, and they are not excuses. We had a lot of injuries at the beginning of the season, and some fatigue due to a lack of rest has taken its toll, which can disrupt certain balances.”
Vitinha: “We are not worried.”
“But we are not worried. Those who have played so far have played well.” We don’t like losing or not being in first place, but we remain focused on our work and want to win the Champions League again, even if, as we know, in football, one plus one doesn’t always equal two, and a bit of luck is also necessary.
The Portuguese midfielder doesn’t mince words; he’s direct. It’s important to acknowledge the specific context. Not to make excuses, but the facts are there. This PSG team hasn’t had proper preseason training after an extraordinary year in terms of both results and duration.
Everyone expected a difficult start, especially with injuries. But, strangely enough, some people are surprised when players are in the infirmary and the matches are less than satisfactory. The squad needed to rest and then build momentum. Which is what’s emerging. The playing style is still there, and so are the qualities.
Simply put, the physical aspect is crucial. Especially since they have quality opponents, and that’s a good thing. It’s even regrettable that some prefer to criticize and announce necessary transfers, rather than focus on certain improvements that have been observed: more goals from set pieces, the return to form of Warren Zaïre-Emery (19-year-old midfielder), Lee Kang-In (24-year-old midfielder/forward) who is gaining momentum…
Of course, there’s still work to be done. That’s logical. The Parisians are still very much in the running, and we saw against Rennes that a little rest and preparation can reignite a certain “magic.” There’s no need to worry; PSG still has what it takes for a very successful season. Even if, as Vitinha points out, there’s never a guarantee of winning the Champions League. Nor Ligue 1, for that matter, especially with Lens having a great run. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, though.
