Recruited to everyone’s surprise by Paris Saint-Germain for an amount of 40 million euros during the last summer transfer window, Willian Pacho immediately established himself in the axis of the Parisian defense alongside Marquinhos. Solid and consistent performances which impressed many observers. And Luis Enrique did not fail to praise him at a press conference on Friday: “ I believe that since last season, I have often spoken to you about the difference between what I tell you and what I think. But the statistics don’t lie. He is one of those who has played the most. His signing was important and he adapted very quickly. This was made easier by confidence and playing time. But he brings what we needed: winning duels, getting the ball out, managing to be effective in his defensive zone. He recovers a lot of balls. It is a contribution that we have judged positively since his arrival », Confided the former coach of La Roja.
Once again a starter and rarely left to rest, Willian Pacho again put in a solid performance against RC Lens on Saturday on the pitch at the Parc des Princes: “ With Pacho we found a very high level central defender, he is very young, perfect for our idea of a game with high pressing, he is a powerful player in duels, he does not make mistakes, finds the spaces. He has room for improvement and his adaptation was faster than we thought. », Explained the Spanish coach after the match won by the Parisians (1-0). Against the Sang et Or, the native of Quinindé touched 82 balls with a 93% passing success rate. He only lost eight balls and also won five of his six duels. With three tackles during the meeting, Pacho fully fulfilled his role as an Ecuadorian wall alongside the Brazilian captain of PSG.
Hernandez and Kimpembe have something to worry about
Recently interviewed in a long interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP) this week, Willian Pacho did not hide his happiness at wearing the Parisian jersey after the start of the season alongside captain Marquinhos: “ I’ve been playing well for some time. I make it a point to be consistent, consistency has always been my strong point and I intend to continue. I will work, learn, in order to achieve my dreams. I would like to improve in the offensive phase, during corners, to be able to score. I couldn’t wait to play with him. It’s a childhood dream, I’ve been seeing him play in the Champions League for a long time. I’m learning a lot from Marquinhos, he’s a very experienced player and a good person. From the first day, he taught me to free myself, to remain calm. We try to cover the spaces, we communicate a lot, it is very clear. I must follow his example “, he said.
Starting 13 times out of his 14 appearances in all competitions this season, the Ecuador international has gone from summer question mark to real autumn leader at Paris Saint-Germain. An integration and an explosion which are also the work of Luis Enrique, as the former rock of Frankfurt rightly pointed out: “ I adapt to what he asks, he is very intelligent. His training helped me understand the game better, and my teammates also helped me a lot. Above all, it requires work. To play every day in training as we would play in a match. And then he asks us to pay attention to the way our future opponents play. » Against Lens, Pacho was also the author of four recoveries and even caused two Lens fouls. Ball protection, defensive curtain, spearhead in attack… The Ecuadorian wears many hats.
When Willian Pacho signed for Paris Saint-Germain, the obvious reflex was to think that he would play the role of medical joker while waiting for the return of injuries to Lucas Hernández, Presnel Kimpembe or even the very fragile Milan Škriniar. Three months later, the Slovak defender finds himself out of the rotation and more than ever on the start. While Kimpembe and Hernandez are on the comeback, Willian Pacho seems to have made all his predecessors forget: “ It makes me very happy that they are coming back, especially for Kim because I have been following her for a long time. He had difficult times, more than a year without playing. It’s always positive to benefit from the qualities of teammates, it increases the general level. There is nothing better than a full complement to face all the challenges that await us », nevertheless preferred to procrastinate the 23-year-old player in the columns of theAFP. The competition is about to rage in the Parisian rearguard!
