Danilo Pereira has that rare quality at PSG of being irreproachable, or almost so. Too few players can say the same in Paris. The Portuguese may have been criticized in his first season at PSG, but certainly not in the following two, especially in the last. He began as a second choice for Christophe Galtier, but ended as an indispensable player, perhaps even the best at PSG alongside Kylian Mbappé.
However, he remains consistently overlooked. This was evident with Luis Enrique, despite his convincing performances against Le Havre and Nantes. He seemed like an obvious choice for the match against Dortmund, a vital fixture for PSG’s Champions League future. Yet, he didn’t see any action, adding to the trend of minimal playing time during the group stage.
It’s clear that PSG lacked many things in their European campaign, Danilo being one of them. He is the epitome of a player with a sense of responsibility who always rises to the occasion, even when placed in difficult situations. At PSG, he is constantly moved around to different positions by successive coaches, yet he always takes on the challenge without complaint.
This is how Danilo has won over the hearts of PSG supporters. However, he remains overlooked by his coaches, despite his praised mentality and versatility. Instead, injuries, tactical changes, or squad rotations seem to be the only means for him to find his place in the team.
Danilo’s quiet determination stands in contrast to other players’ inconsistent performances. His leadership and culture of excellence are qualities that PSG sorely lacks. He has the makings of a starter, both in defense and midfield, purely based on his quality of play. It’s evident that PSG has in its possession a player who ticks all the boxes, yet is not being treated as such. In its current state, it seems that Paris is undeserving of him.
