Sébastien Lenglet, father of Clément, the central defender of Barcelona, called to start this Tuesday the eighth-final first leg of the Champions League against Paris does not hide it.
“Yes, it's a special match for us,” he admits.
The father of the 25-year-old French international adds: “We lived 40 km from Camp des Loges.
I took Clément when he was little to see the PSG players train.
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In the early 2000s, Clément Lenglet was very far from imagining himself one day at Camp Nou facing the capital club.
At that time, aged 7-8 years (he was born in June 1995), he opened his eyes wide in Saint-Germain-en-Laye while watching the trainings of his idols at a time when they were still open to the public.
“When I was young, I was a true supporter of PSG, he told us last summer when he was hoping for a Champions League final between Paris and Barcelona.
My father even took me to the Loges camp to attend training.
I remember meeting Ronaldinho, Pauleta and other great players who made history there.
But that was when I was young.
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Things have indeed changed when the young Clément, after having obtained his ES bac and dropped the prospect of becoming a physiotherapist as he had envisaged, made football his profession.
And especially since he landed in Ligue 1. “Since I became professional, everything has changed, he explains.
When I started in Nancy
(Editor's note: in 2013)
, I was in the same championship as Paris.
I couldn't stand a team I was playing against.
And when you go through clubs with a very strong identity like Sevilla or Barça, you inevitably become a fan.
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A passion that is passed down from father to son
When he went to the Camp des Loges, the young Clément certainly also closely followed the Parisian captain of the time: a certain Mauricio Pochettino.
After starting in Fresneaux-Montchevreuil (Oise), he was evolving at that time in Montchevreuil (2001-2007) before continuing his training in Chantilly (2007-2010).
One thing is certain, Clément could hardly escape football in a family where this passion is passed down from father to son.
His father Sébastien is a former midfielder who played in the Oise.
His brothers Corentin and Nathan, Alexis all kicked the ball.
His childhood friend Matthieu Quesmel, with whom he played at the time of the trips to the Camp des Loges, remembers that “from an early age, Clément aimed to become pro.
He was different from the rest.
He had a very good left foot, but he didn't stop at it.
Some preferred to go see friends or play PlayStation, he trained in his garden with his father and brothers.
He did more than everyone else.
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Today, Clément Lenglet is not only in competition with Presnel Kimpembe in the France team, but he is preparing to challenge Paris, perhaps associated with Samuel Umtiti in central defense.
This Monday, Ronald Koeman, the coach of Barça, admitted about them: “It is true that they sometimes make mistakes but it is part of football.
I have no doubts about them, they know how to defend against a team like Paris.
"