In this video
- Vitinha says Dembélé has always been a leader, even when he was not captain, because what he brings on the pitch is contagious. The Ballon d'Or gave him the status, but it comes naturally.
- Ruiz was a core player, Vitinha says, and the players in there now are different. It is their job to adjust, and the team has compensated whenever someone has been missing.
- Asked why he stays fit, Vitinha points to the recovery work, from physios to cryotherapy to eating well. In the end he calls it luck, and maybe genetics.
- Favourite is the reporter's term, Vitinha says, and it means nothing to the players. Liverpool may not be in their best shape, but they are still Liverpool, with great players.
- After the defeat to Rennes, Dembélé spoke to the team and was a little hotheaded, Vitinha says. The players listened, it produced results, and it was not aimed at anyone.
- PSG had so many chances in that first leg and a goalkeeper was man of the match, Vitinha says. They told each other that playing the same way at Liverpool would win it, and it did.
- Vitinha calls Ekitike a fantastic, talented guy for whom the context in Paris was not right. He wishes him the best, and hopes he does not play well tomorrow.
- With Hakimi about to play his 200th game for PSG, Vitinha calls him fundamental: a crazy player in defence who adds so much going forward, and a versatile one.
PSG midfielder Vitinha speaks ahead of the huge Champions League clash against Liverpool and explains why Ousmane Dembélé has always been a leader in the squad, even before winning the Ballon d’Or. The Portuguese star says Dembélé’s performances, influence on the pitch, and natural leadership have always inspired the rest of the team.
Vitinha also discusses PSG’s midfield adjustments without Fabián Ruiz, the team’s mentality heading into another European showdown with Liverpool, and why last season’s dramatic tie still stands out. He praises teammates like Achraf Hakimi and reflects on how PSG must stay fully alert despite Liverpool’s recent struggles. Can PSG take another big step in the Champions League against Liverpool?
