If Rangers thought the colossal first-leg performances of John Souttar and Leon Balogun would be the best defensive displays seen in European football this month, think again.
Because, while Souttar and Balogun completed a staggering 26 clearances between them as Rangers outmuscled Fenerbahce’s ‘world-class’ forward line, a centre-half who could have ended up at Ibrox a couple of years back went one better as Paris Saint-Germain knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League while keeping their proverbial sheet a pristine shade of Daz-washed white.
According to reports, Rangers scouted Willian Pacho during his Royal Antwerp days.
In the Hollywood tale of Toby Alderweireld – the veteran defender who returned home and blasted Royal Antwerp to their first league title in 66 years in Sergio Aguerooooo-style – the role of Ecuador international Pacho should not be overlooked.
It was he, alongside Alderweireld, who marshalled that Jupiler League-claiming backline. Rangers were keen but Eintracht Frankfurt – shortly after breaking Gers hearts in the Europa League final – would again spoil the party.
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Former Rangers defender Willian Pacho puts in Champions League masterclass for PSG
Frankfurt paid a reported £9 million for Pacho; The rock-solid South American joining Joey Veerman, Ian Maatsen and co in an extensive list of talented young players who slipped through Rangers’ grasp.
Pacho initially made the step up from Belgian football to the Bundesliga look easy.
And, after Pacho completed a £38 million move from Frankfurt to Paris Saint-Germain last summer, he is now doing what former Commerzbank Arena teammate Randal Kolo-Muani failed to do. Repaying his monstrous price-tag on the biggest of stages.
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Has there been a finer individual performance from any centre-back in European competition this season? Sorry Souttar and Balogun, you’ve been outdone.
To say Pacho was imperious would be an understatement. Few teams on the planet are capable of keeping Liverpool off the scoresheet over 120 minutes. Yet, thanks to some stellar Gigi Donnarumma saves in normal time, extra time and the penalty shoot-out, Pacho and PSG did just that.
Ice-cool and perfectly-positioned throughout, Pacho’s coming of age evening as a truly world-leading central defender was summed up best when he blocked a goalbound Dominik Szoboszlai effort in the second-half at Anfield.
‘Impeccable’ Pacho heroic as PSG knock out Mo Salah and Liverpool
“The Ecuadorian defender barely missed a beat,” Sports Orange write in their post-match assessment, Pacho occasionally bailing out a strangely off-form Marquinhos.
“Alongside a sometimes sloppy Marquinhos and then a diligent Lucas Beraldo, the former Eintracht Frankfurt player put in a top-notch performance as the capital club qualified against Liverpool .
Eurosport, meanwhile, labelled Pacho as nothing short of ‘unplayable’. A 9/10 rating epitomising his success in shutting down both Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, while helping the equally brilliant Nuno Mendes keep Mo Salah on the periphery.
“Pacho repelled everything and saved [PSG] against Jota and Szoboszlai. He once again put Nunez in his pocket in the final moments,” Eurosport say. “Impeccable.
“He didn’t just exude incredible authority. He never let up. The Reds’ attackers suffered the same fate as his chewing gum: devoured. Brilliant!”
Just like there are considerable levels between the Europa League hopefuls and those seeking Champions League glory, a man Rangers pinpointed as a new partner for John Souttar back in 2023 is proving that there are levels between himself and most other central defenders the continent over.