Interviewed by The Team, Marco Verratti, who scored two goals this season, said that it was his teammate Lionel Messi who encouraged him since his arrival in the capital to take his chances in front of goal. It was the Argentinian striker in particular who pushed the Italian to strike more during his double against Reims (4-0) on January 23.
“The day before my two goals, against Reims, Messi said to me: “Tomorrow, you promise me, you hit and you score”. He told me that because in training I had struck once and scored. So I knocked and I scored. Yes, I know how to hit. But I am like that. What do you want, we all have flaws”says Verratti.
The Italian midfielder also explained why he didn’t often shoot on goal. “It’s also linked to my way of thinking about football, which means that I prefer the pass to the strike. In fact, choosing between hitting or passing depends on the moment. I know I have to improve on this”, details the player of the Squadra Azzurra. In Paris since 2012, Verratti has played 365 games for PSG, scoring a total of 11 goals and providing 59 assists.
