By this stage, it is no secret what the Champions League means to Paris Saint-Germain.
All eyes were on the French club as they took on Real Madrid, and when the chips were down, it was Marco Verratti who stepped up.
Until Kylian Mbappe’s moment of late magic won his side the game, Verratti looked a clear favourite to win man of the match.
Taking on a trio of Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric, the Italian maestro ran the show at the Parc des Princes.
He completed 94 successful passes, accounted for 8.4% of the possession and, regularly moved his side up the field.
He passed, he carried, he recovered - it was another complete performance.
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"I knew Verratti was a great player,” Neymar said after the game. “But I didn't realise he was so spectacular. A genius.
“He's one of the best midfielders I've ever played with, along with Xavi and Iniesta.”
It was high praise for a man who often goes under the radar, but rarely has a bad game when PSG are at their best.
Against Manchester United in 2019, Verratti dominated at Old Trafford as his side claimed a first-leg win.
But, after the game, French football expert Julien Laurens put the spotlight on Verratti’s activities off the pitch which make him different to many other top class players.
Instead of living a teetotal, healthy lifestyle, it is no secret that Verratti enjoys himself away from the pitch.
He has regularly been seen out and about enjoying the luxuries Paris has to offer.
Laurens said at the time: "For me Verratti, because he was not fit, because he was not 100 per cent, because he's only played one game in the last month.
"Last week he was partying until 6am for Neymar's birthday, because he smokes, because he drinks because he's out almost every day of the week.
"I think if he had the lifestyle of Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, the work ethic of him, I don't where he would be in terms of world-class midfielders.
"But the ability he has combined with the lifestyle that he has at the moment and yet still being able to put out a performance like tonight is just incredible.”
Since those comments from Laurens, little has changed.
After divorcing Laura Zazza, he fell in love with French model Jessica Aidi in 2019 and the pair confirmed their romance at Paris Fashion Week. They are regular attendees at red carpet events around Paris.
A year later, in October 2020, Verratti and Kylian Mbappe partied with supermodel Cindy Bruna in a swanky restaurant to celebrate her birthday.
Earlier in the year, he was pictured on holiday with Aidi and Victoria Secret model Izabel Goulart in St Tropez. True to speculation, Verratti was pictured puffing on a cigarette.
Back in 2017, PSG were forced to deny rumours Verratti had been in a nightclub two days before their Champions League defeat to Barcelona.
Whether or not there was any truth remains to be seen, but it is clear that on various occasions Verratti has made the most of the glitz and glamour Paris has to offer for its celebrity residents.
In various periods, Verratti’s form in Ligue 1 has been called into question and complaints over his lifestyle rear their ugly head.
In 2018, it was claimed new manager at the time Thomas Tuchel told Verratti to lose weight and put him on a strict diet plan.
But Verratti himself has remained undeterred by the spotlight on his off-field activities, telling Le Parisien in 2019: “We play football, but sometimes people forget that we are also human beings. We get days off, we can go out with our friends, with family.
“What I hate is when people have unchangeable ideas of me. But honestly, I don’t really care. Everyone is free to think what they want. You can judge me on the things I do on the pitch, what I can bring to the team. But not off of it.
“I always hear that I am injured because of my lifestyle… When I injured my ankle (in January) that had nothing to do with it, a player takes my foot away. Things are said about me, said about others, that are truly rubbish.”
As Verratti pointed out back then, he wants to simply be judged by what he does on the pitch.
And when his team are in need of a performance, as they were against Real Madrid, he has regularly delivered the goods.
It was the same case in the summer, when Verratti was vital to Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph.
Whilst some feel he could be even better, being compared to Xavi and Iniesta by Neymar shows Verratti isn’t leaving much potential untapped.
Approaching a decade with the Parisian club, who he joined from Pescara as a teenager, the Champions League remains the ultimate goal.
And if Verratti continues to perform like he did in the first leg against Real Madrid, then they have a real chance to finally get over the line.
If they do, then you can be sure Verratti and co. will have a glamorous party to celebrate.
