On the eve of the clash between PSG and Atlético de Madrid, this Wednesday in the Champions League (9 p.m.), Willian Pacho praised the management of Luis Enrique at a press conference. Delighted by his adaptation to Paris, the 23-year-old Ecuadorian defender fully adheres to the methods of his Spanish coach in the capital.
It took him just a few weeks to become essential. Three months after his arrival from Frankfurt (40 million euros), Willian Pacho is today one of the pillars of PSG. He is even the player most used by Luis Enrique since the start of the season. And quite far away. In the absence of Lucas Hernandez and Presnel Kimpembe, stuck in the infirmary, the central defender has settled into the role of a starter alongside Marquinhos. The Ecuadorian international (20 caps, 2 goals) has accumulated 1,107 minutes of play in the red and blue jersey (all competitions combined). More than Joao Neves (993), Achraf Hakimi (984), Warren Zaire-Emery (947) or Bradley Barcola (940).
Preferred over Lucas Beraldo or Milan Skriniar, Willian Pacho has participated in the thirteen matches played by PSG since his recruitment, including twelve as a starter. In the Champions League, he played all three matches against Girona (1-0), at Arsenal (2-0) and against PSV Eindhoven (1-1). A successful adaptation which is delighted by those who celebrated their 23rd birthday last month (October 16). “I always see things in a positive way. I try to bring as much as possible to my team. If I came to PSG, it’s because they believe in me,” explained Pacho on the eve of receiving Atlético de Madrid, this Wednesday in the Champions League (9 p.m.). “Everything that is said to me every day in training helps me grow as a player. I know what I can bring to this team. They trust me and that helps me a lot to develop. improve.”
“I learn every day from Marquinhos”
Under contract until 2029, the 1.87m left-hander won over Luis Enrique thanks to his mentality, his involvement on the pitch, his serenity and his solidity in the duel. He himself appreciated the method of his Spanish coach, which he learned to discover every day at the Poissy Campus. With a lot of admiration: “Certain aspects I like and are new to me, like the way the coach transmits things, the way he talks to us. Whether it’s positive things or things to improve, he always tries to say it in a positive way. He explains to us how to be good players. He is always there, he constantly talks to us about the details which are very important. As a player, I didn’t see it at first, but I realize that these. These details are crucial.”
A decisive passer against Strasbourg last month in Ligue 1 (4-2), Pacho also enjoys his collaboration with Marquinhos in the central hinge. He even raves about the Parisian captain: “He’s truly an incredible person on a daily basis. The way he trains and the way he experiences things. How he speaks to us. He’s someone who helps me personally. He has given me a lot of confidence since my debut in Paris and that makes me very happy. I learn from him every day. It allows me to grow, both as a player and. as a man.”
