Marco Verratti has hit out at critics who suggest Paris Saint-Germain's slew of Ligue 1 title triumphs have come easy to the club, with the midfielder stating that the team appreciate every honour they earn.
The Parisian outfit reclaimed the domestic crown in France this term to put themselves back on top of the pile after losing it to Lille last year.
Critics have sometimes suggested that given their vast financial strength and roster of world-beating talent, Ligue 1 success should be a formality for the club - but Verratti says that such a viewpoint is blinkered.
What has Verratti said about the difficulty of winning the title?
"Sometimes from the outside, people think that it's always easy, that it's always simple and that the matches are won in advance," Verratti told the club's official website.
"But [it's not], we always have to work hard to win.
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"If you can't appreciate [the league success we've had], you can't appreciate anything."
What has Verratti said about his time at Paris Saint-Germain?
While talk has been rife over the ins-and-outs at Parc des Princes this summer, Verratti is likely one face set to stay with still two years left on his deal - and the Italian admits that he remains besotted with the badge he wears.
"It's a club that has given me a lot, and that's why I will always respect it," he added. "It is also a city that has given me a lot, and when things are going well you have to be grateful.
"When I meet a player who tells me he his happy to play with me, it touches me, it makes me happy."
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