Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 7y

Marco Verratti: PSG gameplan worked to perfection against Barcelona

PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti again stressed that his future lies in the French capital after the stunning Champions League victory over Barcelona on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after the match, the Italy international hailed coach Unai Emery for masterminding the 4-0 first leg triumph at the Parc des Princes.

"The coach knows this Catalan side well and he deserves praise for this performance," Verratti said.

"He has worked on it to perfection. Everything went exactly the way we planned it."

Verratti has been the subject of regular transfer speculation but said he was part of "a great project" at the Parc des Princes.

"I am happy to be attracting interest from elsewhere, and other major clubs, but I do not want a change," he added.

"I am part of a great project and we want to become one of the top three teams in Europe."

He explained that fatigue had been behind the leg injury that saw him substituted with 20 minutes of the game remaining.

Next up for Verratti and PSG are Toulouse, who visit in Ligue 1 on Sunday and are one of the four teams to have beaten Emery's men this season.

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