PSG boss says Verratti should learn from Real red card

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti needs to learn from mistakes such as his Champions League red card to live up to his potential as a big player, his club coach Unai Emery said on Tuesday.

Italian international Verratti allowed his emotions to get the better of him as last week’s Champions League tie with Real Madrid was slipping away from the French side, and was sent off for dissent.

“This is not the first time. He needs to improve his temperament,” said Emery.

“He needs to control his feelings, especially in the big matches. He’s a player with a lot of personality and we have spoken to him about it,” added Emery, whose side were reduced to 10 men whilst trying to overturn a deficit against Real Madrid.

“But he’s getting better and he’s a very important player for us both now and for the future.”

“He will continue to develop,” Emery said of the 25-year-old who has played 154 games for PSG and 24 times for Italy.

Verratti took a huge amount of media flack after PSG’s 5-2 aggregate defeat by Real with Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport writing “he is incapable of keeping a cool head”, an issue it said would also compromise his international career.