Hello and welcome to the first edition of Owl Watch, a brief weekly column to keep fans in the know about Italian football’s crown jewel, Marco Verratti.
After the crushing disappointment of missing the Euros due to a groin injury that he had carried since his time at Pescara, Marco Verratti has recovered from surgery.
He now sets his eyes on returning to the starting lineup for the first time under new Paris Saint-Germain manager Unai Emery. Against promoted opponents FC Metz, the 23-year-old came on in the final half-hour – his longest appearance since the operation – to raucous cheers from the home crowd. He escaped Metz’ high press and though some passes were still on the erratic side, even an injured Verratti is still one of the world’s finest playmakers. He set up several attacking moves and even found a goal himself, albeit through an unlucky deflection off Metz defender Jonathan Rivierez.
More important than the goal, though, is the rugged determination that makes Marco so unique among playmakers. Il Gufetto showed no signs of slowing from his injury, as he completed more tackles in 30 minutes than fellow midfielder Adrien Rabiot did in 70.
As PSG head toward a crucial game away at AS Monaco, Verratti will be looking to push his way into the starting lineup. His fitness levels may still be somewhat in doubt, however. Emery would be wise to not repeat predecessor Laurent Blanc’s mistake of pushing the Italian into further injury. Les Parisiens really have no way to replace their primary creator, as deputies Thiago Motta and Adrien Rabiot lack the same positional acumen.
This week’s rating: 7/10. Very promising, but not quite fit yet.
David Wood is guest writer from Paris Saint-Germain fansite PSGTalk. For more in-depth Verratti news, you can find them on twitter at @PSGTalk, or take a listen to their English-language podcast on iTunes.
The post Owl Watch: Marco Verratti Returns To Action With A Goal appeared first on IFD.
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