In a PSG side once dominated by big egos like Neymar, Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe, the image of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia diligently dropping back to the left-back position to cover for Nuno Mendes in the 10th minute of the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal was a refreshing statement.
It is no longer the PSG of glamour and instability. This is the PSG of organization, of discipline - and Kvaratskhelia is the new soul of that revolution.
Dominate with football, not name
It is worth mentioning that it was Kvaratskhelia, the expensive player worth 70 million euros, who was reminded by Fabian Ruiz to… reduce defense and focus more on attack. A small moment, but it shows the shift in value.
At PSG today, a star is not judged by the number of goals he scores - but by the way he fights without the ball.
Kvaratskhelia did not just impress with his defensive ability. He was the one who set up Ousmane Dembele for the opening goal in the fourth minute of the first leg in London. Jurrien Timber - who had shut down Vinicius Jr. in the quarter-finals - was completely helpless. In the first 20 minutes, the Dutch defender fouled Kvara three times, before being belatedly substituted late in the match.
Defensively, Kvaratskhelia continued to be a "secondary shield" for Nuno Mendes, constantly supporting the interception of Bukayo Saka - considered Arsenal's most dangerous player. He had 3 successful tackles, including one interception right at Martin Ødegaard's feet and two against Saka. All took place in the home field.
At the end of the match, UEFA statistics showed that Kvaratskhelia was the player who recovered the ball the most on the pitch, surpassing even pure defensive midfielders like Joao Neves or Declan Rice. A winger with the statistics of a "ball-winning midfielder" - that is almost unheard of in superstar teams.
Luis Enrique was right to buy Kvaratskhelia. |
In the final match against Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena (Munich), Kvaratskhelia continued to play well, scoring 1 goal and contributing significantly to the defense. In the 78th minute, when PSG led Inter Milan 4-0, the former Napoli star, in an effort to defend, had a speed race with Denzel Dumfries - a quality "running machine" who had become a nightmare for many defenders.
The result? Kvaratskhelia won. He took the ball from the Dutch star. The moment went viral on social media. Fans kept praising the Georgian player. Someone even used the moment to mock Kylian Mbappe.
"If it was Mbappe in that situation, the French player would never have retreated to defend," wrote a fan.
Superstar Labor - the truth behind the halo
David Webb - assistant coach of the Georgia team - affirmed: "Kvara is not like other star players. He practices extra after every training session. No one asks him to - it's his nature." According to Webb, Kvaratskhelia often spends an extra 30-45 minutes a day practicing free kicks, finishing and 1vs1 situations.
“He’s obsessed with process,” says Webb. “He wants to get 50 touches a session, 100 touches in the box a week. And he believes that the extra 1-2% can make a difference in a game.”
It is this discipline that has led Luis Enrique to trust Kvaratskhelia with positional freedom. Against Arsenal, Kvara played in three different positions: left wing, right wing and even as a false nine when Dembele switched wings. During the Champions League season, he had two assists and three goals, being one of the players who contributed to more goals for PSG after Dembele.
Compared to Mbappe - who won the World Cup at the age of 19 - Kvaratskhelia's journey is a contrast. At 21, he was still playing in the Georgian domestic league. In just 3 years, he went from being an unknown name to leading Napoli to the first Serie A title in 33 years, being named in the European team of the year and joining PSG as the perfect piece.
Kvaratskhelia is not a superstar, but she always knows how to shine at the right time. |
However, what makes Kvaratskhelia special is not his flashy style of play but his serious football thinking. “He constantly asks questions in tactical meetings: how the opponent plays, where are the weaknesses, when should I approach…”, Webb revealed.
At PSG, where there were superstars who played by instinct and willingly abandoned their tactical roles, Kvaratskhelia’s preparation and awareness were a breath of fresh air. It was a harmony between the technique of George Best and the learning attitude of Philipp Lahm - a kind of “modern football genius”.
In a young and restructured PSG, each player represents a new piece of the puzzle: Marquinhos for continuity, Dembele for the revival of French football, Joao Neves for tactical foundation… But Kvaratskhelia, a foreign player, is the one who best represents Enrique's philosophy: discipline, flexibility, and ambition.
As the old stars have departed, PSG have not lost their way. They have found a new generation - where Kvaratskhelia is not only a “maker”, but also a bearer. With over 70% successful dribbles, over 10 clear-cut chances created in the Champions League this season, and the best defensive statistics among wingers - Kvara is redefining the role of a modern winger.
Webb concluded: “I believe he will be in the top 5 players in the world in the next 2-3 years. And I am sure, he will win the Champions League”. With what he has shown, that will come… sooner than expected.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - more than just a player. He is the symbol of the new PSG: a PSG with strategy, depth, youth - and, for the first time in many years, a future.
Source: https://znews.vn/nga-mu-truoc-kvaratskhelia-post1557972.html
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