Laurent Blanc warns Marco Verratti over `stupid` behaviour

Paris: Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti must improve his persistently poor behaviour, coach Laurent Blanc warned on Saturday.

The Italian was criticised on Tuesday by his manager after yet another spat in PSG`s 1-0 League Cup win at Lille. 

"He`s a danger to himself," said Blanc.

"It`s no laughing matter for me. I`m sorry for him but enough is enough."

"We`ve been telling him the same thing over and over for the past two years", explained Blanc after the Lille game where Verratti was substituted just after the hour mark.

"If he`s not smart enough to understand that, he`s heading for even bigger trouble."

"Frankly, I`ve known coaches who have been more virulent than me", said Blanc as he tried to drive the point home.

"What did I say exactly? That he took too many cards and that he would have trouble if he kept it on."

"I want him to realise he needs to adjust his behaviour. He knows it. The problem is that he`s known it for over two years. 

"He`s a great player, he`s having a very good season. But when he makes stupid mistakes, I have to tell him."

"I am thinking about the team. With only ten men, you don`t win many games. We know Marco isn`t a mean player. We know how he gets all of his cards," said the 1998 world champion, refering to Verratti`s constant protests against referees.

Verratti, 22, has picked up seven yellow cards in 20 Ligue 1 games already this season. Last year, he was booked ten times in 29 games.

"He need to correct that bad habit. It won`t be easy. People say `but he`s young`. But that`s exactly when he needs to learn."