Rome (AFP)

Left midfielder, left back and even scorer in the Champions League: Blaise Matuidi has been everywhere since the start of the season with Juventus, to the point of confiscating all space to Adrien Rabiot, who for his part lives shy and complicated starts with the Turin club.

"What should Rabiot think, that Matuidi is strong." After the victory of his team 10 days ago against Hellas Verona (2-1), the Turin coach Maurizio Sarri perfectly summed up the situation of the two former Parisians.

Matuidi had played 90 minutes, as usual, and Rabiot stayed on the bench, another constant early in the Turin season.

Since then, Rabiot has finally been tenured, twice, against Brescia Tuesday (2-1) and then against the Spal Saturday (2-0). Italian sports media have noted some signs of improvement, although the midfield performances have been very neutral.

However, these same media had highlighted at the end of August the quality of the summer preparation of Rabiot, who was then presented as a potential holder when Matuidi was identified as a candidate for the departure and exclusion of the UEFA list, finally stumbled on the German Emre Can.

- 'Extremely sensitive' -

To explain this brutal reversal of trend, Sarri recalled two things: Rabiot, then in conflict with Paris SG, did not play the first match in the first half; and Matuidi is strong, so.

"Rabiot is a boy who has great physical and technical qualities, he pays a bit for not having played for a long time, and Matuidi is important for us," said the Italian technician, before entering more in details.

"Rabiot did not play in 2019. He came and he made 15, 20 days of very high level, then he had the inevitable physical decline typical of the player who has not played for a long time and who does not has more matches in the legs for a long time, "he said.

"He is an extremely sensitive boy, and my feeling is that when he realized that he was in physical difficulty, he also struggled a bit psychologically."

Meanwhile, Matuidi has traced his path, escorted as always by the doubts and reservations of those who emphasize its technical limitations.

But with Sarri, as with Massimiliano Allegri before, his immense tactical and physical qualities have once again jumped in the eyes and proved indispensable, the world champion accompanying Cristiano Ronaldo in the offensive phase while covering it in the defensive phase.

- Left lateral -

"I have never asked myself questions, I have worked as I have for years, the important thing is that I feel good and that the team has confidence in me. said the Frenchman after his team's 2-2 draw at Atletico Madrid, where he scored the 2-0 goal.

Scorer in the Champions League, Matuidi then left Saturday left against the Spal (2-0), to compensate for the many absences in this position. And he was very good, as Sarri pointed out.

"For the first time, we gave an impression of safety in defense, where I enjoyed Matuidi, in a role yet unheard of for him," said the former coach of Chelsea.

"Matuidi is worth gold, a player like that, you always want it with you, even to play lateral, where you never thought to see him", wrote the Corriere dello Sport on Sunday.

Good midfielder, good defender, Matuidi is also good comrade and does not doubt the future success of Rabiot in the jersey bianconero. "It's the beginning and he will also have his playing time. He's a great player," he said.

© 2019 AFP