PROFILE | Vitinha – the centrepiece of PSG’s post-bling bling era | OneFootball

“For me, Vitinha is the player of the season. If you put together his qualities as a footballer, he is the best in the team. All of our players are good, but he is exceptional”

Luis Enrique’s resounding praise of his midfielder at the end of last season was scarcely an understatement. With several senior players underperforming and Kylian Mbappé virtually on his way out, it fell to the Portuguese international to step up and lead Paris Saint-Germain through the latter half of what was a decidedly transitional season.

The 24-year-old was the undisputed standout player of the continental campaign, scoring in both legs of the quarter-final clash against Barcelona. While he was unable to find the net against Borussia Dortmund, Vitinha would be the only Parisien to turn in performances worthy of the occasion, despite being visibly singled out by the German side’s high-intensity pressing.

A bust-up with the stars

Although his creative influence was blunted, the sentinel was nevertheless the catalyst for the Ligue 1 champions’ best chances over their two outings, which were both blighted by their wastefulness in front of goal. The Portuguese midfielder’s crucial interceptions would also ease some of the pressure off a hemmed-in defence, having been assigned to man-marking duties in both legs.

While there wasn’t to be a second Champions League final for PSG, Vitinha’s impressive European campaign would nevertheless cement his newfound seniority within a squad that was still in transition. He had struggled to fully impose himself when he initially joined from Porto in 2022, and reportedly drew the ire of both Lionel Messi and Neymar amid a poor spell of form.

Allegedly, the midfielder was seen by the two senior players as the figurehead of a bungled summer transfer window which also included the arrivals of Fabián Ruiz and Carlos Soler. As reported by L’Équipe, a rash tackle on the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner in training did little to help his case. As the team stumbled across the finish line of Christophe Galtier’s sole season in charge, it was evident that the former Wolves loanee had not set foot in the most forgiving of environments.

Whether or not there was any truth to those reports, Vitinha did begin to play with more confidence after the departure of the former Barcelona pair – notably turning in a man-of-the-match performance against Dortmund in the Champions League group stage opener last season. He ended the campaign on a career-best nine goals across all competitions, underscoring an increased confidence in venturing forward despite often being positioned directly in front of the defence.

A complimentary Verratti comparison

Comparisons to the similarly nimble Marco Verratti have not necessarily focused purely on his style of play. Like many a lusophone player before him, Vitinha has also grown into a fan favourite at the Parc des Princes by virtue of his combative approach and outspoken affection for the club — especially in opposition to the divisive stars that immediately preceded him. His on-pitch leadership, and impeccable command of the French language, have arguably seen him emerge as the natural successor to Marquinhos for the captain’s armband.

After winning the domestic double with PSG, the club’s first in four seasons, Vitinha then carried over his form onto the international stage. He was named player of the match in Portugal’s Euro 2024 opener, a 2-1 comeback win over the Czech Republic, notably sending in a back-post cross for club teammate Nuno Mendes to create the equaliser. He would remain a part of Roberto Martínez’s first-choice lineup for the rest of the tournament, until the quarter-final defeat to France on penalties.

He would continue to justify his inclusion in the seleção set-up during this autumn’s Nations League fixtures, notching three assists during the two matches in November. The first two came in a 5-1 thrashing of Poland, and included a cross for Cristiano Ronaldo to score from an overhead kick.

Vitinha muddled in Europe

Back in Paris, Vitinha has been somewhat eclipsed by his compatriot João Neves’ scintillating start to his PSG career – the latter had already set up six goals in the league by mid-October. The former Porto man, though, remains the only constant in a midfield beset with inconsistent performances and injury issues.

His line-breaking forward runs and disconcerting ease in retaining the ball, along with his tenacious defending, have seen the 24-year-old emerge as one of the world’s foremost midfielders this calendar year. Following Mbappé’s departure, he has also taken over penalty duties – the source of two of his three goals in the first half of the new season.

Unlike last season, however, Vitinha has not been exempt from PSG’s muddled European showings this autumn. In the first of the team’s Champions League defeats this season, he was overwhelmed by Arsenal’s intense pressing, effectively neutralising the visitors’ midfield presence. The following month, he was notably beaten by Ángel Correa’s feint before the Argentine scored Atlético Madrid’s last-minute winner at the Parc des Princes, and was unable to unlock the Bayern Munich defence in the following match.

Vitinha – a fundamental building block

The ease with which Vitinha operates on the domestic stage is now beyond any doubt – a confidence perhaps best exemplified by the penalty he converted à la Neymar in the Coupe de France tie against Lens, at the end of year.

Nevertheless, as with PSG’s various squad-building projects over the last 12 years, whether the Portuguese international ascends to international acclaim invariably depends on his performances in the Champions League knockout stages. Having already announced himself to the continent last season, Vitinha now needs to show that he can sustain those performances over several campaigns.

Having joined the club as part of a push to end the club’s “bling-bling” era, the midfielder is now the best representative of PSG’s desire for a more understated and team-oriented approach. Exactly where Luis Enrique and the senior decision-makers now intend to take the club remains unclear for the time being, especially in the wake of Kylian Mbappé’s departure and continued misses in the transfer market. However the project takes shape, though, it appears inevitable that Vitinha will be its centrepiece.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin