What’s the story?
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi has revealed that Andres Iniesta admitted that Marco Verratti can be the Spaniard’s successor at Barcelona.
Verratti has been one of the standout players in the centre of the park for the Ligue 1 outfit in the last few years. His form has seen him attract interest from top clubs across Europe, including Barcelona and Chelsea.
“At 2-0, we saw the faces of the Barcelona players and they seemed very angry with themselves,” Matuidi told France Bleu radio.
“However, I do remember one moment when I said something to Iniesta. When Marco was on the ground, I said to Iniesta: ‘that is your successor.’ He agreed and replied: ‘yes, that is what I think [too]'."
In case you didn’t know...
Iniesta’s contract at Camp Nou will expire at the end of the next season as the midfielder is edging towards the final years of his playing career at the top flight. The Spaniard’s fitness has been a cause of concern as he has already missed 18 matches this season, while collectively spending over 80 days on the sidelines.
Also read: PSG's Marco Verratti confirms he is interested in joining Barcelona
Barcelona saw their legendary midfielder Xavi leave the club after they won the treble in 2015. They are yet to find a replacement for him, and should Iniesta leave his current employers after 2018, they will have an uphill task in finding his replacement as well.
The heart of the matter
Verratti showed his worth when his side thrashed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 clash at Parc des Princes. The Italian international bossed the midfielder along with Matuidi.
The aforementioned incident between Matuidi and Iniesta took place when Verratti was on the floor. Matuidi suggested to Iniesta that the 24-year-old could be the latter’s replacement at Camp Nou and the World Cup winner with Spain acknowledged the comments made by the Frenchman.
What’s next?
Verratti definitely fits the profile of a Barcelona midfielder and the Italian can fill the void that will be created by the eventual departure of Iniesta. Barcelona, meanwhile, will have one more opportunity to watch the midfielder in action when PSG visit Camp Nou for the second leg next month.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Should PSG make Verratti available – which is highly unlikely at the moment – there will be a lot of clubs interested in acquiring his services. However, it will be difficult for potential suitors to sign the Italian as the midfielder has expressed his desire to end his club career with his current employers.
However, if Barcelona do come calling it would be extremely difficult for the young midfielder to resist the temptation of playing alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Ultimately, though, he would do well to stick with it at PSG.
