Paris Saint-Germain ousted Thomas Tuchel on December 24, for the benefit of Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino. For Rafinha, Parisian midfielder, it was not a gift. Since the arrival of the former Tottenham coach, the Brazilian has been in the closet. In 2021, he spent only 57 short minutes in the field, during his comebacks against Nîmes (3-0) and Monaco (0-2).
However, Thiago Alcantara’s brother had made a name for himself in the rotation of Paris Saint-Germain at the start of the season. On the clock: five assists in his 19 appearances. Rather decent statistics for a midfielder, especially given his playing time.
So why isn’t he playing under Pochettino? Already, its start to the year was marred by some physical glitches. He was affected by Covid-19, before being removed from the field for a few weeks because of a small muscle alert. But when he was available, the coach did not call on him. His absence put him behind Sarabia and Draxler in the hierarchy.
According to Le Parisien, Mauricio Pochettino is not convinced by the former Barcelona player and his doubts about the player’s potential already existed when he was officiating in England. “All decisions are sporting”, he defends himself at a press conference. “In the case of Rafa (Rafinha), when we arrived, he was affected by the Covid. We have a large workforce and we make choices. Not everyone can play, but it’s important to be prepared. We know that at some point there will be opportunities. “
Supporters demand his return
One thing is certain, its exclusion is not to everyone’s taste. A large part of the supporters demand his return. Omar Da Fonseca, beIN Sports’ iconic commentator, is one of them. “When you already have Paredes and Gueye, you have to put a Rafinha with them to play and make the link with the attack, get closer to Icardi”, he claims in the columns of the Parisian.
If I were a coach of #PSG he would start tonight … but I know he won’t! 1- I love this player 2- In the absence of #Neymar his technical quality would be useful for the link between the middle and the attack 3- He finds his former club …#Rafinha #FCBPSG #BarcaPsg pic.twitter.com/r40FFxNYRX
– Julien Chaput (@Julienchaps) February 16, 2021
The player, who arrived free in the last hours of the summer transfer window from FC Barcelona, did not give up. He intends to convince the Argentine coach. “If the competition weighs on the atmosphere? Not in a negative way. I believe that this spirit of competitiveness allows everyone to bring out the best. To play, it’s very complicated. Not everyone can be a holder. […] Those who play and those who don’t need to stay totally motivated and focused on what they want. Otherwise, you lower your foot “, he confided at Parisien, February 14.
With the busy schedule of the Parisians in the coming weeks, Rafael Alcantara should have the opportunity to show himself. It’s up to him to take his chance.
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