Thiago Silva’s last matches for PSG will come to the Champions League. Can you sign with the win?

The dreaded call finally came in late May. For weeks, and with Ligue 1 closed, Thiago Silva had hoped that Leonardo and Nasser Al Khelaifi – sporting director and president of PSG respectively – would change their minds and offer him a new deal. The Brazilian defender and PSG player for eight years wanted his love affair with Paris to continue. Even at the age of 35 he felt he could still offer a lot to the team and the club, but the managers clearly saw it differently.

At his age and with his salary (11 million euros net per year), they considered it superfluous to keep Silva. The irony is that when they let Silva go, they pushed hard (and failed) to convince the club’s latest young talent, 18-year-old Tanguy Kouassi, to sign his first professional contract at the club and eventually replace it with PSG. XI. (On July 1, Kouassi joined Bayern Munich instead.)

It’s still, “The monster“(” the monster “, his nickname from his Milanese years) still has a lot to play before his eventual release. He returned to Paris as scheduled for training in mid-June, and won two other trophies (in addition to the truncated Ligue 1) while PSG beat Lyon and Saint-Etienne in the two national cup finals, completing the Triplete. The Champions League follows, and the appointment with Atalanta on Wednesday. The Parisians are in the quarterfinals and Silva’s dream of winning the biggest European competition is still alive.

But once August is over, it will be the end of an era. There will be tears, lots of smiles after eight great seasons, lots of great trophies – 23 in all! – and many memories. There will also be regrets. How not to do better in Europe, for example, especially with all those pains in the Champions League, not least the one suffered by PSG at the Camp Nou in 2017.

Thiago Silva gave his all to PSG, and that was, is and always will be his club.

Silva arrived in the summer of 2012, a year after the capture of Qatar, for 42 million euros from Milan under the label of being the best defender in the world. He became PSG’s best messenger, showing great love for the club and fans, leadership and humanity as well as talent. PSG as a European force had to be built and would have been the biggest pillar, serving as captain or vice captain practically since his arrival.

He played 312 games in all competitions, winning seven league titles, four French Cups and five League Cups. He lost his place on the Brazil squad in the aftermath of the terrible 2014 World Cup (although he didn’t play in the 7-1 humiliation to Germany) and again after their exit at the 2015 Copa America, where his handball against Paraguay (and the ensuing punishment) cost Brazil dearly. To his credit, Silva mobilized, regaining his place and triumphing again with the Selection at the Copa America 2019. All the while, he found the energy and strength for his redemption in the love that Paris always gave him.

Of course, the Champions League has eluded him so far, although this season could be his best chance and that of PSG. His manager in 2017 after the defeat in Barcelona, ​​Unai Emery, blamed Silva for the Barcelona debacle accusing him of not sticking to the game plan. Silva had, at times, shown a tendency to play too deep in big European games, perhaps not feeling comfortable with a high line or with his own limited pace. Yet none of this shouldn’t overshadow how fantastic it was for PSG. He joined Ligue 1’s Team of the Year in each of his eight seasons in France, except for the current one as no prizes were awarded.

For a club with such a Brazilian heritage on and off the pitch and so much input, influence and inspiration from Silva and his peers, the fact that the imposing defender has become one of PSG’s greatest ambassadors on the other side of the pitch. Atlantico is an extraordinary achievement. It is thanks to his dedication, his longevity and his performances. Although at first he did not want to leave Milan, he made Paris and the Parc des Princes his home.

It was inevitable that PSG would eventually turn the page on Thiago Silva. It happened in strange circumstances, between the coronavirus arrest and a very special context for not having fans in the stands. He probably won’t be able to say goodbye in front of a full stadium. Fans won’t even have the chance to thank him directly.

Beyond that, the debate over whether or not he’s the best defender Parisians have ever had is justified. The answer is definitely yes. Their paths could cross again if Thiago Silva continues his career in Europe and one day faces PSG, and that could be the perfect opportunity to pay him a fitting tribute. Regardless, the PSG n. 2 will be very heavy to wear for those who follow in his footsteps.