Verratti not concerned by poor PSG display

Marco Verratti has claimed that he is not concerned with how well Paris Saint-Germain played against Ligue 1 strugglers Nancy, as long as they secured all three points.

Unai Emery’s side raced into a two-goal lead at Stade Marcel Picot on Saturday, courtesy of strikes from Lucas Moura and Edinson Cavani, who squandered a gilt-edged chance for a third soon after.

However, Nancy were the better side for much of proceedings, deservedly pulling one back through debutant Alou Diarra before having a penalty appeal turned down late on, but Verratti’s sole focus was on the win, not the performance.

“Before the game I said to myself that I don’t care if we don’t play well, as long as we win,” he said. 

“We started very well, but after 2-0 we didn’t play with any rhythm at all. It was even harder in the second half. I know we played badly.

“It was very difficult, and we’d hardly trained together because of the international games, but we have the win.”

The victory takes PSG – who face Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday – up into second place on 19 points, four adrift of Ligue 1 pace-setters Nice, who despatched Lyon 2-0 on Friday.