Why tireless Vitinha keeps playing for PSG | OneFootball

Luis Enrique has rotated his Ligue 1 regulars to limit fatigue this season, yet Vitinha remains the outlier, stringing games together while maintaining levels for Paris Saint-Germain.

Squad data show Marquinhos at 869 minutes and Ousmane Dembélé at 931 in Ligue 1, protected more often. By contrast, Vitinha is on 2,008 minutes, with Willian Pacho at 1,915 and Warren Zaïre-Emery at 2,396 across the campaign. All three are among the most used in the Champions League, and Pacho and Vitinha have played every minute so far.

Enrique would have preferred to rest the Portuguese more frequently, but injuries in midfield meant he was regularly selected. When Fabian Ruiz or Joao Neves were absent this season, Vitinha was rarely missing. His only lay-offs total 10 days, first for a knock, then a sore heel.

Those brief setbacks account for the only two matches he has missed since joining PSG in 2022. In April, he reflected that he had been fortunate physically, that recovery, nutrition and upkeep matter, and that genetics also play a part, with some players more vulnerable than others.

Even without injury, the 26-year-old experiences natural dips and wants open dialogue with staff while insisting he hates to sit out. In mid-February, his Paris seasons were described as typically splitting into three parts, two strong and one below that, with a forecast rebound. That upturn is now under way, and his influence is again central to the club’s biggest objectives.

Source: L'Équipe