Arriving at PSG last summer from Frankfurt, Ecuadorian central defender Willian Pacho spoke to the official website this week and made two little secrets about his jersey number and his hand bandage.
PSG recruited four players last summer, including Willian Pacho, the first Ecuadorian in the club's history. Aged 23, the left-handed central defender quickly established himself as an indisputable starter under Luis Enrique and he is the second most used player by the Spaniard since the start of the season (1962 minutes), just behind Achraf Hakimi (2019). ) but ahead of another summer recruit, João Neves (1794).
Quickly adopted by Parisian supporters, who appreciate his aggressiveness in duels as much as his contagious smile, Willian Pacho spoke to the official PSG website this week. An interview published this Thursday by the club in which the native of Quinindé explains in particular why he chose to wear the original number 51 at PSG.
“When I succeed, I hold on to the same things”
“Because at Independiente del Valle, in my first team, I had number 51, confided the superstitious Ecuadorian defender. It worked well for me and when I succeed, I focus on the same things. And also, because my mother died at the age of 51, that’s why I always wear 51.”
-Like Karim Benzema on his right hand, Willian Pacho still plays with a bandage on his left hand. A story of superstition there too? “Yes, I’ve been asked that question a lot. In Antwerp, Belgium, I broke part of my hand. And I had a cast. I stayed in the cast for a month, in December I think. And then they took the cast off after a month and had to put a bandage on me instead. I played like that, with a bandage. Then I played with the national team, I scored a goal against Australia (March 28, 2023, editor's note) and I started wearing the bandage every time from then on, because I felt good with it. And now, every time I go to play, to feel good mentally, I always wear a bandage. »
