Nacional goalkeeper Renato Marin, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, helped the Madeira club avoid a heavier defeat as Sporting CP beat them 2-0, according to Correio da Manha.
The 20-year-old Italian-Brazilian, on loan from the reigning European club champions, was credited with keeping Nacional from suffering a rout at Sporting's Estadio Jose Alvalade. He showed strong agility and a commanding presence between the posts, standing at 1.90 metres and weighing 86 kilograms.
The loan from Paris Saint-Germain brings extra responsibility for Marin, who has been standing out for the Madeira side since the start of this season.
From Brazil to Italy
Marin's path to Nacional has been an unusual one. He came through the youth ranks at Palmeiras and Sao Paulo in Brazil before moving to Italy shortly after the coronavirus pandemic.
Holding Italian nationality, he signed for Roma and quickly began to draw attention, becoming a regular starter for Italy's youth national teams.
Snubbing Roma for PSG
Once he reached senior age, Marin turned down a new contract at Roma after Paris Saint-Germain, one of European football's richest and most powerful clubs, showed interest in signing him.
He joined PSG last season and made three appearances for the French champions, two in the league and one in the French Cup. With Matvei Safonov and Lucas Chevalier established as PSG's first-choice goalkeepers, Marin had little chance of fighting for a starting role in Paris, prompting him to look for a new direction in his career.
Loan Move to Nacional
PSG and the player settled on a loan to Nacional. The Madeira club's large contingent of Brazilian players, 11 in the squad, may have been a decisive factor in the choice.
PSG have strong belief in Marin's potential and, as a result, did not include any option to buy in the loan agreement, meaning Nacional cannot sign him permanently at the end of the deal.
