Vitinha Released by the Departures of Neymar and Messi

PSG turned the page last summer with the sale of Neymar and the end of Lionel Messi’s contract: the big winner is Vitinha.

Vitinha, Neymar’s punching bag last season? The rumor had circulated, without ever really being confirmed. But L’Equipe assures that the Portuguese indeed went through a tumultuous period the previous season.

His relationship with Leo Messi and the closest teammates of the Argentine quickly deteriorated following an unfortunate incident during a training session, even impacting his performances on the field.

However, the summer departures have been beneficial for him. Today, Vitinha is a valued member of the team, seamlessly integrating into all circles.

Vitinha Scores Much More Than Verratti

Sportingly as well, Vitinha has benefited from Marco Verratti’s departure. “Marco Verratti was considered a deep-lying playmaker. He touched much more balls than Vitinha. Luis Enrique wants his players to reach the attackers and especially the wingers much faster than Christophe Galtier wanted. Midfielders are therefore much less solicited with the ball and it is rather the central defenders who find themselves in the first buildup.”

L’Equipe also notes that Vitinha scores much more than the Italian. “His six goals across all competitions and five assists make him an important offensive element when Verratti had only one assist throughout last season.”