After a difficult 2018-19 season, which ended with groin surgery last May as revealed by the club’s official website, Presnel Kimpembe has made a triumphant return to the starting lineup and is proving again why he is one of the best center-backs in the world.
In a recent interview with Le Parisien, Kimpembe discussed a number of topics and the 24-year-old didn’t hold anything back.
When asked about Sunday’s Le Classique, Kimpembe, who has been with PSG for more than half his lifetime, compared the match against Olympique de Marseille to a UEFA Champions League game.
“This match has a special flavor, it’s like a Champions League match, with a different atmosphere for players and fans alike,” Kimpembe said. “I know that Le Classique will always exist.”
Kimpembe was then asked about the difference between the cities of Paris and Marseille:
“I do not know Marseille at all, and I’ll never go there,” Kimpembe said. “It does not interest me at all and it will never interest me. I only know Paris.”
Note: Kimpembe and I have that in common!
Marseille manager André Villas-Boas may downplay the rivalry but there is a reason why his fans are banned from the Parc des Princes and Kimpembe certainly will be taking the match seriously. Maybe instead of making excuses, Villas-Boas should come up with a gameplan capable of beating Les Parisiens.
Kimpembe’s jab at Marseille is just one small nugget in what is an insightful interview. The PSG center-back discusses life after winning the FIFA World Cup, the devastating loss to Manchester United in the Champions League, and how he tried to play through his groin injury but ultimately decided to have surgery at the end of last season.
The France international also revealed how competition with fellow center-back Abdou Diallo has pushed him to train harder and prepare like never before as reported by Le Parisien last summer. For example, Kimpembe trained in Greece with a triple jump champion to strengthen his leg muscles. So far, you have to say all of that hard work is paying off.
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