L’Équipe: PSG Stars Do Not Endorse Vitinha as First Choice Penalty Taker

According to a report by the French newspaper L’Équipe, after Mbappe’s departure, Paris Saint-Germain needs to reorganize many things, and some of these arrangements are controversial. For example, Enrique’s decision to make Vitinha the first choice penalty taker is not understood by all players.

In the first round of Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Le Havre 4-1. Besides goals from Lee Gang-in, Dembélé, and Bakokara, Mouani scored from a penalty kick. However, Mouani was only a temporary choice for the penalty kick, while another player, Portuguese star Vitinha, was handpicked by Enrique as the first-choice penalty taker.

Last season, Vitinha played in 46 matches across all competitions, starting in 39 of them, scoring 9 goals and providing 5 assists, making him an absolute pillar of the team. Enrique holds Vitinha in high regard and relies heavily on him. This season, he has two requirements for Vitinha: first, to increase his weight and improve his physical strength. Secondly, to take on more responsibility both on the field and in the locker room.

This is the reason why, after Mbappe’s departure, coach Enrique appointed Vitinha as the first-choice penalty taker. However, L’Équipe points out that this choice has not been universally accepted by the players, and it is expected that PSG will soon have further discussions regarding this issue.

In addition to the issue of the penalty taker, PSG’s locker room discussions must also decide on the next captain. The selection will be announced after the summer transfer window closes. However, compared to the controversy surrounding the penalty taker, the captaincy issue may be less contentious, with Marquinhos having a very high chance of retaining the captain’s armband.