Mark van Bommel remembers that he was going to visit Willian Pacho in his apartment in Belgium when he was his coach at Antwerp. The former midfielder of Barcelona still remembers his horror at the discovery he made when he was offered a drink by the player.
“He was with another man from Ecuador, Anthony Valencia,” Van Bommel tells Sky Sports. “One day Anthony had not trained well and I wanted to have a better bond with him than I did, so I told the team manager, gave me their address.”
He explains: “I drove all the way to their apartment, called the door and they didn't open it. So I went back to my car and took a selfie outside their door, and then the curtains started to move. I waved at them, so they said,” Oh, coach, sorry, come in, come in. “
“I spoke to them more or less two and a half hours, and then they asked me if I wanted a drink.” Yes, of course. ” So they opened the fridge and there was only cola, only sugar.
The Ecuadorian was far from home at the time, but he has also taken a long way since. Pacho helped Antwerp to win the Belgian title for the first time in 66, and went to Eintracht Frankfurt for one season before he came to Paris Saint-Germain.
At PSG he has been the rock on which their run was built to the Champions League final. The pace and panache of the people around Pacho have been the story of their season, but in a team shortage of physicality he is the only player who has it in abundance.
It was necessary in the quarterfinals against Aston Villa when the pressure on his team was built during a challenging second stage in Villa Park. “In every corner she swung balls in the box and that is not our area, we are a small team,” said Luis Enrique afterwards.
“It wasn't made a match for us. We don't like to defend that.” Crucial is that Pacho can – and did. He won more tackles than all his teammates. “We were in the defense much more than normal,” added Luis Enrique. And Pacho is also capable of there.
Marquinhos, the captain of PSG, has the experience, but Pacho is the perfect foil, his legs on the back, the one who is able to dispute every air duel. That was certainly noticeable during the semi -final when Thomas Peny threw long throws to the penalty box.
In Antwerp it was a similar story with the veteran Toby Alderweireld next to him. “He was next to Toby, so he developed a lot,” says Van Bommel. “We pushed our left a little higher, so he defended in a very large space and covered all that side.”
Pacho has done “a very good job”, so perhaps it is no coincidence that Luis Enrique has entrusted him with almost the same tactical responsibility in Paris. His strength and speed enables him to control those large spaces that have disappeared by the looting Nuno Mendes.
“He is very physical, always fit. Once he played in Australia for the national team. He came back and I put him on the field and after 60 to 70 minutes I asked him,” How are you? ” He replied, “No problem, coach.” That is really great for a young player “
That robustness can best be illustrated by the fact that Pacho played most minutes of everyone in this season's championship and helped him to achieve the top five players for touches, fits, approvals and won airs. PSG's rock, indeed.
Van Bommel saw all this coming. “He also played the same game at Antwerp, only at a lower level. But then he adapted to the next level and the next level again. He is always able.” Hence his frustration when Antwerp agreed to sell him to Eintracht Frankfurt.
“I told the club for € 16 million, that's really cheap. But the club needed the money, so Frankfurt took him at the right time.” Under their famous cunning sports director Markus Krosche, the Bundesliga side was able to turn Pacho herself for a big win.
Van Bommel could not be happier for the player. “He is really a nice guy and I love to see how well he plays. Outside the field he is a bit shy. On the field he is great. Everyone is talking about him now, but I knew him earlier and he is developing well.”
Could he develop more? There was a moment late in the 34th minute of PSG's second leg victory over Arsenal in the semi -final, when Pacho Long looked at Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and surrendered the possession cheaply. The frustration of Luis Enrique was palpable.
“I have worked a lot with him on his death. That is the only area where he can improve a lot. He is stable and he plays every game, but I think he can get even better. If he gets his death even more accurately, I think he will be one of the best in Europe.”
Van Bommel remained in contact, groceries exchanged after games and still reminds him of taking more care with his death. Pacho even introduced him to emojis – he had to ask his wife what a few mean. “The heart emoji,” he laughs. “What is that about?”
It all came from that home visit. “It was really a nice conversation. From that moment on I had contact with him in Frankfurt and now he sends messages after the game:” Have you seen it, coach? “” But there is one photo that Pacho sent him everything told him.
It was an image of Pacho's fridge. “Only water.” That is the thing about this center back, still only 23 years old. He learns. “I think he can develop even more,” concludes Van Bommel. “He will get even better.” The final of the Champions League is waiting.
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