His last difficult months, without any playing time at PSG... Loaned with option to purchase by the Parisian club to Eintracht Frankfurt, 6th in the Bundesliga, at the very end of the winter transfer window, Hugo Ekitike spoke at a press conference this Thursday.
“It all depends on how you take things,” said the 21-year-old striker, who made a first appearance in Cologne on Saturday.
It didn't work in Paris, it's part of a career, it's part of the choices, of certain things that happen.
I'm taking my time in Paris in a good way.
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And to continue: “I never take things as a defeat.
For me, it was a lesson, learning alongside great players.
And for me, coming here is the right choice because now, I think the most important thing is to be able to express myself and to be able to show everything I learned in Paris for a year and a half .
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🇩🇪 #Bundesliga
🎙 Hugo Ekitike: "Mbappé gave me a lot of advice when I was in Paris" #Interview #beINSPORTS pic.twitter.com/c6swC5j2aD
— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) February 8, 2024
Ekitike, who should be there on Saturday for the reception of Bochum, 14th in the ranking, particularly insisted on the support he received from Kylian Mbappé in Paris: “Kylian Mbappé gave me a lot of advice.
Afterwards, between the summer transfer window and my departure, it was more messages to tell me that it was my time, and it was the time to express myself and to have fun, to play football and find a group.
So the advice, let's say that he gave it to me and I also took it from myself by observing him play, by watching him on a daily basis.
Today it makes me a better footballer and also a better person.
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In the absence of playing time at PSG - not a single appearance since August - the former Rémois therefore joined Frankfurt, a club fighting for European places next season.
Saturday in Cologne, 16th in the Bundesliga, he came on in the 77th minute while his new team was trailing 1-0 and reduced to ten after the exclusion of Nkounkou (66th).
Three minutes after entering the game, Frankfurt conceded a second goal and finished the match at nine after a second exclusion from defender Tuta in the 83rd minute.
Frankfurt, 6th with 31 points, finds itself six lengths from the 4th and final qualifying place for the next Champions League, occupied by Borussia Dortmund.