Recruited in July 2012 at the age of 19 by Paris Saint-Germain from Pescara, Marco Verratti has long embodied one of the greatest hopes of the capital club under the Qatari flag. The midfielder quickly found his feet before establishing himself in the long term as an essential member of the club.
However, the journey of the 2020 European champion has not been without turmoil. The one nicknamed by supporters as “Little Owl” has often been the subject of criticism, whether for his lifestyle or his absences during major Champions League events. Among his detractors, Daniel Riolo was never far away. However, the RMC journalist and editorialist recently confided that he tried, in his early days, a somewhat personal approach to create a bond with the player.
“This scene is absolutely ridiculous”
Riolo had wanted to capitalize on their common points to put Verratti at ease, but without success. “The time I found myself ridiculous in front of Verratti when he arrived at PSG? It was bogus. I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea. He comes from a village that I know well, right next to where I spent 10 years of my vacations. Like on the beach, everyone was always kissing me with the guy from here, I felt that there was going to be a closeness between us. It’s something I’ve never done as a journalist because I find it completely ridiculous to do that: go see a guy to try to get a little personal hook. But I did it, I went to Camp des Loges and told him: “Marco, you know that I know your region very well” and he didn’t join at all (laughing) plus he was a kid and shy. He barely answers me”he confided on Friday during his appearance on Les nuits du Cazarre chainĂ©.
The polemicist wanted to clarify that this first meeting had nothing to do with the opinion he formed about the former Parisian over the years: “And yet, it’s true that we had a lot in common, because I loved one of his favorite dishes on vacation: little mutton skewers that are made a lot in his region. The fact that he is from this region, my children grew up on almost the same beaches as him. I felt like a personality capable of going to see him and sharing this with him. This scene is absolutely ridiculous. It has nothing to do with afterwards, because until 2017, I loved him. Then there was a shift. »
