Paris Saint-Germain qualified for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France on Wednesday evening, winning against Stade Brestois (3-1), on the lawn of the Parc des Princes. A nice revenge for Luis Enrique’s troops since a week earlier, the Bretons made an impressive comeback to secure a draw (2-2), during the 19th day of Ligue 1. If the Parisian attack was pulled out all the stops against SB29, the PSG rearguard once again found itself in the spotlight. A week before the reception of Real Sociedad, the Parisian defenders are far from being reassuring. All ? No, an irreducible defensive rock still resists criticism. Danilo Pereira carried the Paris defense almost alone in the face of the great opportunities that Stade Brestois effectively created, particularly in the first minutes of the match and then on the hour mark after reducing the score.
But who is the real defensive leader of Paris Saint-Germain? Halfway through the season, the question arises very clearly. Even recently, we gave you a laudatory analysis of the rebound from the match against Le Havre. A month later, the findings have not changed and continue to strengthen. While Presnel Kimpembe and Milan Škriniar are convalescent and in full rehabilitation after their respective operations, it is Danilo Pereira who runs the house because the Portuguese always appears more solid, reassuring and regular than the Brazilian defender and captain, Marquinhos. Especially in the matches against Brest where Lucas Hernandez is left to rest. As for Lucas Beraldo, the young defender who arrived from São Paulo unfortunately still remains too crumbly. But it’s difficult to ask for more from a player who is discovering Europe after a full season.
A symbolic goal…
Danilo Pereira’s defensive performance lacks qualifiers. Four recoveries, one blocked shot and five out of seven aerial duels won. A normal day at work for the native of Bissau. But beyond his defensive confidence and his almost natural charisma which emerges from his defensive play, his offensive contribution is very valuable and ticks the boxes of Luis Enrique’s collective philosophy: “Every match is going to be different. Our defensive attitude improved a lot, we pressed better and more. We scored again by pressing high, we were in this defensive withdrawal less times, and we were inspired in the offensive creation. But I repeat, Brest is one of the best teams with the best playing dynamics in France, if not in Europe., said the Spanish coach. Attack to better defend, defend to better attack. Today at PSG, the most versatile defender is none other than Danilo Pereira who touched more than 80 balls for a total of 97% successful passes.
Author of the second Parisian goal (37th), by wonderfully taking Ousmane Dembélé’s cross, the 32-year-old Portuguese international also attempted two other shots, both with headers. Its dominance in the aerial game brings a new offensive cord to the game of PSG, which has been seeking to become (finally) effective on set pieces for several seasons. Exemplary, domination, consistency… Danilo has almost everything that allows PSG to recover quickly and restart quickly: “I want my team to press high, and we scored in those situations, but if we have to defend low, then let’s defend low! If you have to score when the opponent is defending very low, then you have to elaborate more. Dominating all registers is what it means to be a team. No team knows what to attack or what to defend., concluded the former FC Barcelona tactician. In Paris, the All Risks Agency has its most valiant and faithful soldier…
