In football, everything always goes very quickly.
Ask Abdou Diallo, Danilo Pereira and Idrissa Gueye, regularly substitutes at the start of Mauricio Pochettino's mandate in Paris and who have seduced the Argentine technician over the weeks.
Announced holders in the starting XI, they will have a (big) role to play this Tuesday (9 p.m.), against Bayern, at the Parc des Princes, behind the stars Kylian Mbappé and Neymar Jr.
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Snatched from Borussia Dortmund in 2019 for more than € 30 million, Diallo often had to settle for the crumbs behind Presnel Kimpembe in central hinge, whether during the time of Thomas Tuchel or since taking office from Pochettino, at the start of the year 2021. But the former Monegasque is also capable of playing as a left-back.
He was already doing it in Germany.
And it is in this position that he recently convinced “Poche”.
As Tuchel had done in Manchester (3-1 victory), the 49-year-old Argentinian technician called the former captain of the French hopefuls team to the rescue to the side to start the second half against FC Barcelona ( 1-1), in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
“Sometimes you have to know not to lose when you are in pain.
This is what we will remember, ”explained the person, after having largely contributed to stabilizing a defense at bay before his entry.
Since then, Diallo continues the tenure, even when Layvin Kurzawa and Mitchel Bakker are there.
Enough to claim the France team?
We'll never know.
He chose Senegal.
“In people's minds, I was French, period.
But if I had been asked the question before, I would have said: "I am Franco-Senegalese," he explains to
L'Équipe
.
It is not a lack of ambition or a fear.
I was in the ideal position to think about the Blues.
I have two beautiful cultures, two beautiful nationalities.
After that, you have to make a choice. ”
A Lion (of Teranga) can hide another
The native of Tours in any case did not have to be disoriented for his first meeting with the Lions of Teranga, during the last international window.
He has indeed rubbed shoulders with Idrissa Gueye, his teammate at PSG.
Which "Gana", more discreet and calm than his partner, has very often been the holder with Tuchel.
Pochettino, however, quickly gave the keys to the Verratti-Paredes tandem at the start of the year.
The injuries of each other led him to reconsider his position.
And the former Lille player took advantage of it.
"We fought a lot to recruit him," said the German coach, who was targeting the Senegalese midfielder in January 2019 but had to wait until the following summer to see him land in Paris.
He's a machine, he never stops running, he collects a lot of balls. "
This is exactly what we saw last Wednesday in Munich, Gueye having undoubtedly achieved his best Parisian match since the 3-0 success against Real Madrid in 2019. Tireless and clean at the same time.
Precious.
Behind the scenes of PSG's victory in Munich on
video
At the Allianz Arena, Idrissa Gueye, 31, was, at least at kick-off, teamed up with Danilo Pereira in the midfield.
A player who also had to wait his turn under the orders of Mauricio Pochettino.
Debauched in Porto - where he was captain - last summer, the 29-year-old Portuguese international had to bring his height (1.88 m) and his physique in the middle.
The sentry that the club had coveted for several years had to be him.
At least in the idea of the sports director, Leonardo.
Not that of Tuchel, who preferred to use Marquinhos in the middle and Danilo… in defense.
“My position will be a midfielder,” smiled the 2016 European champion, relieved, after talking about it with newcomer Pochettino.
Except that his place was first ... on the bench.
Author of a big performance in Lyon (4-2 victory), he gradually gained the confidence of his new coach.
Francophone, this great guy even scored two goals in 2021. It is nevertheless… in defense that he should start this Tuesday.
Thilo Kehrer being in the “cellar”, “Poche” used him for this post after the release of Marquinhos in Munich, and again on Saturday, in Strasbourg (1-4).
How ironic… “I was not surprised to see him so strong, because I knew his level, but his professionalism is incredible.
Being able to train with him every day is a great thing, ”says Danilo on Marquinhos.
This time, it is in his place that he will have to shine.
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