Willian Pacho, 23-year-old defender of Paris Saint-Germain since his transfer from Eintracht Francort last summer, spoke from his heart in a long interview for Carré. He looks back on his arrival, his playing time, his partners and his journey. He also talks about his dreams and goals.
Pacho “I try to do my best”
You are the big surprise at Paris Saint-Germain this summer and are you also surprised that things are going so well and so quickly?
I just try to play all the time, when they recruit me, I try to do my best.
But in your head, did you think you were in 11?
No, not in the 11, but I knew I had to work hard to be able to play. And the truth is that everything is going well and there have been good results. We have a good points lead and that is important for us.
Pacho “Last season, I played almost every match”
Yes, but things are going very quickly for you and two years ago, you played in Ecuador. It's going fast!
Yes, the truth is that in Belgium, those were my first steps, the truth is that I learned a lot there. It was a bit difficult, especially because of the cold, because it was a radical change, the climate, the food, the people, the language… These are things that had a big impact on me, it's really hard .
But hey, I learned a lot, a lot of people helped me and it went well. The club was incredible, we were champions and I left in the best possible way for Frankfurt to spend a season there.
You are the player who has played the most!
Yes. Last season, I played almost every match.
And pretty good!
Yes, I think I did pretty well, and I really like that. I was happy, I don't really know why, it was logical that I came here.
Pacho “I was happy to come here”
How did you choose Paris and what were the possibilities?
I was in Ecuador with my family, in peace. My agent came to discuss the possibilities. And he told me that he had come to Paris and that made me very happy, I didn't know what it was. I hope it happens. Yes, but I was pretty calm there. Then things progressed, it was concluded quite quickly, I was delighted. And when I understood that it was possible, I was happy to come here.
Pacho “I see things you can’t imagine”
Tell me about your coach Luis Enrique. Did you speak with him before coming? What did he tell you? Because he trusts you a lot. He is the second player with the most minutes behind Achraf Hakimi. For a new recruit, you have the total trust of your coach…
The truth is that he is a very good person. When I arrived, he talked to me about the structure, the game, what I needed to know. It freed me a little, I was calmer, it took a little pressure off me. As a coach he is very good, you have no idea how good. I see things you can't imagine.
For example ?
He doesn't talk much, but he definitely knows how to lead. In other words, he knows how to do things precisely, and it impacts you. It's like in a play: when you have an idea of what is going to happen, it helps you better anticipate events.
We are therefore better prepared to face certain situations. And that’s something I really appreciate. It really makes me happy to see these qualities in my trainer. I respect him a lot.
Pacho “all competitions, I want to win them”
You like duels, you like good duels with a good number 9.
The truth is that the team needs to win a lot of duels, to recover the ball quickly. To always be there, in the impact. I didn't take it in the best way. I come from the Independiente del Valle club, where I always worked a lot with the ball, possession, a purely defensive style, defending well, covering. These are aspects that I perfected for a long time there.
I learned that these are details that few training courses cover so it really helped me a lot. I always continued to train in this direction, like all my teammates. It helped me a lot here to be better, particularly in defense, in duels, and to stay solid. The team helped me a lot in this regard.
You are the PSG defender who wins the most duel points and in truth, I don't see a young man of 23 years old. What is your biggest personal goal?
Yes, I have always had personal goals at the same level as my collective goals. For example, I dream of winning the Champions League, of winning a title with my selection, these are also things that I always have in mind. Of course, to win titles like Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, all the competitions, I want to win them.
Pacho “Thiago Silva is a huge player”
And on a personal level, do you also aim to be new Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva. Number 1?
The truth is that I always draw inspiration from the greatest, for example Thiago Silva is a huge player, I like him a lot, but it's Thiago Silva. I'm Willian. I'm looking to progress little by little, to grow as a person and a player, to become the best version of myself while charting my own path.
Pacho “There is nothing better than having good relationships”
Are you in competition with two French world and international champions, Lucas Hernandez and Presnel Kimpembe?
-Yes, they are really great. Honestly, I didn't expect them to be so caring. The truth is that since my arrival I have greatly appreciated their attitude as a person, and the way they have welcomed me, they help me learn and progress, competing with them healthily and positively.
At the moment we are playing very often, there are a lot of matches, and I know that in the end we will need the whole team, the whole group and for that we are all ready. There is nothing better than having good relationships, you are a camaraderie, a family spirit, to invent everything that happens in the matches that we are going to play.
Pacho “I am very happy here, really very happy”
Who was your dominant player at PSG before arriving and has it changed since you were here?
In general, what we know about Paris is the city itself, but I didn't really know what it was like regarding the team, I didn't know what to expect, how it was going to happen . But honestly, it was incredible. As people and in the way they treat us here…
I'm very happy here, really very happy, because here I found a lot of things that I really appreciate and things that honestly aren't found everywhere, and I appreciate a lot, because we don't don't always find that friendship with that great camaraderie, surrounded by great people who are always ready to help.
Dembélé asks Pacho to show his new dance.
This video is impossible. One step? All right. (He dances)
What type of dance is this?
Choke salsa. It's more equatorial, Colombian. We dance very well, that's all. (laugh)
Pacho “Ousmane is a great person”
Tell me about these guys, it's a star you live with every day, Ousmane, who is a fabulous guy, who creates danger all the time.
Ousmane is a great person, you know… He is always there to joke, make jokes, chat with me. He always complains that I'm after him in training, but I always try to follow the right player who will help me improve.
He always says I hit him, but I never touch him, he always calls me. He's really an incredible person who speaks Spanish, so we talk a lot during meals, we get along very well.
Pacho “As captain, he is very kind, involved and never neglects anything”
You seem to get along very well with Marquinhos.
Yes, I get along very well with Marqui. Things are going really well with him, he's always present, and it's important that he's always with us because he speaks very well, always tries to put us at ease. As captain, he is very kind, involved and never neglects anything.
It's one thing to hear about it, but it's one thing to experience it, his way of being, of expressing himself, everything he does, we feel it and that makes the difference. He always remains the same: war, smiling, it's something that must be valued because not everyone is as good and charismatic, so I'm very happy to have him. He helps me with training, to adapt, to make the most of it, to have fun, because it's important to live life well.
Pacho “Warren is incredible, Joao and Barcola are incredible players”
How do you analyze the Paris Saint-Germain project? Very young.
I watch them every day, and they are all very good players. Warren is incredible, Joao and Barcola are incredible players. I'm having fun on the pitch. I'm lucky, because the way they play, what they do excites me a lot.
Every time I see them in training, the things they do are exceptional and they are always ready to go and work for the team. They always play for the team, not just for themselves.
It makes me excited for the present and the future. Because I know we are going to do great things. Now you have to continue working to achieve your dreams and we know what our goals are.
Pacho “We have a great team even if we lacked success”
Why does it work much better in the league than in the Champions League? Where does this problem of realism come from and how do you see this final against City, and this duel against Erling Haaland?
Yes, the truth is that the championship is very competitive, match after match, we have to stay at the highest level, otherwise our opponents will come back at us, we always try to maintain a high level.
But as I said recently about football, there are times when we deserved to win, but it comes down to small details which I am convinced will work in our favor, because we have very very well worked. We have a great team even if we lacked success.
I swear that we are doing our best even if for the moment it has not paid off and for the two matches that we have left I am sure that we will qualify without problem, because things are going very well in the League 1, as you say, it's very good and we remain the same, that's why things will go well in the Champions League.
Pacho “No, I’m not afraid, I respect him and his teammates”
Are you afraid of the Viking?
No, I'm not afraid, I respect him and his teammates, all the people, and he's a great player, of a very high level and it's even a pleasure to play against him. And winning would be good, to continue playing well to win, especially this match.
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