His departure to Al-Arabi, six months after being extended by Paris Saint-Germain until 2026, surprised more than one. Embarked on the big sweep given by the capital club last summer, Marco Verratti left the Rouge et Bleu through the back door. At 30, the Italian midfielder had been experiencing a decline in his performances for several months, but he did not have the opportunity to prove his worth to Luis Enrique.
Having left without having played a last match at the Parc des Princes, Petit Hibou has caused a lot of ink to flow. To explain his secret departure, versions collided. Some said the decision came from the top, while others said it was Luis Enrique who didn’t want a losing Verratti in his squad. For the first time since he joined Qatar, the transalpine international (55 caps, 3 goals) spoke up to tell his truths in a long interview given to The Team.
Verratti chose his destination for his love of PSG
“I am a sincere person, I say what I think. They did the same. At the start, I had an interview with the coach, he told me that I was not part of his plans. He’s a great coach, he’s doing good things with PSG. I didn’t see it as a personal decision. I have never had enemies in life, I prefer clear things”he confided, adding that he had nothing against the Spaniard, a coach with whom he claims to have maintained good relations.
On the other hand, Luis Enrique does not seem to have given Verratti any explanations to justify his decision. “No, just that he wanted to change. That I had been here for many years, that he wanted something new. » Kicked out, the Italian finally explained why he went to Qatar, while he still had the legs to bounce back in a prestigious club in Europe. “I wanted to have a different experience. I didn’t want to go to another team in Europe where I could face PSG. I wanted this to be my last team. » Parisian supporters will appreciate it.
