"He is responsible for nothing in terms of image" - Jerome Rothen claims PSG shouldn't have extended the contract of 29-year-old star
Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player Jerome Rothen has criticized the club for extending the contract of centre-back Marquinhos. The RMC Sports pundit claims that the Brazilian defender does not contribute enough to the club's image and has not performed well as a club captain.
He said (via Paris Fans):
“Marquinhos has been there for 11 years, in fact he is responsible for nothing in terms of image. It was supposedly him who was to take over after the departures of Thiago Silva and [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic … ultimately nothing.
“Over the last five years, it’s a black point, that’s all; that’s how it is. Between his performances which have not always been up to par and the image he sends back … When you are the captain of PSG and in Monaco, they are whistled and you are able to say to your teammates, ‘No, don’t go there, they’re pissed off’… Have you been the captain of PSG for 10 years?”
Marquinhos was appointed as club captain in 2020 following fellow countryman Thiago Silva's departure. The 29-year-old has now extended his stay at the French capital until the summer of 2028.
The side will be desperate for a change of fortunes as they look to grab an elusive Champions League victory. With Lionel Messi likely to depart the club after a two-year stay, Les Parisiens will look forward to an important summer window to bolster the squad. They have already signed veteran defender Milan Skriniar from Inter Milan on a free.
Lionel Messi reaches landmark in PSG's win over Auxerre
PSG superstar Lionel Messi added another record to his list, becoming the first player to reach 300 assists in club career history. The Argentine set up Kylian Mbappe for his second of the night as the Ligue 1 leaders beat AJ Auxerre 2-1 to get a firm hold on the title.
In the process, Messi also reached the milestone of 20 goals and 20 assists this season. The Argentine has had an on-and-off season with PSG but still a considerable improvement from his first year at the French capital.
Mbappe was the star of the day as he bagged an eight-minute brace to hand Les Parisiens an important victory. They now have a six-point lead at the top of the table with just two games to go. They can wrap up the title with a win over 15th-placed Strasbourg next weekend.