DECRYPTION – The 29-year-old international defender makes his comeback to the Parisian group this Wednesday. However, he is not at the end of his efforts to regain his place.
“My return? It’s coming soon”smiled Presnel Kimpembe on Sunday, on RTL. “Everyone knows me. I am the soldier that I am. I'll be back when it's time. I am patient, I am patient and I wait for the right moment”he added, while numerous sources had reported his impatience recently. Gone are the days of waiting: Luis Enrique has called up the French international defender (28 caps) for the 16th final of the Coupe de France against Espaly (N3) this Wednesday (9 p.m.), in Clermont. Returning to collective training since the beginning of November, “Presko” made the trip to Munich in the Champions League and to Qatar, for the Champions Trophy, without appearing on the match sheet.
Remember that the 29-year-old titi had experienced a start to the 2022-23 season marred by several physical glitches. He had to withdraw from the Qatari World Cup at the last minute but was not yet at the end of his troubles: rupture of the Achilles tendon on February 26, 2023, in Marseille (3-0 victory). “The rupture of the Achilles tendon is the worst injury. Worse than a crusader… We question everything a little. Even if people see me a bit as dead, but I know it will come back”said the person concerned last November, on Canal+. Since then, fate has continued, with several glitches, notably returning to billiards at the end of 2023… after having been extended until 2026. “We are all really happy for himdeclared Vitinha, a few weeks ago. I imagine his feeling, being with the group, training… The worst part, he has already passed. He must have fun now. The whole team, the staff, we are all really happy for him.”
An important figure in the Parisian wardrobe, he is a voice that we listen to, a character who counts in the Parisian ecosystem and does not leave us indifferent. And he has not lost his legendary smile, as evidenced by his impromptu arrival in the mixed zone in mid-December, while Ousmane Dembélé was answering questions from journalists. “He’s good. We hope (that he will return to) Monaco, if not Lens or in 2025. But he is good. He will come back in force”promised “Dembouz”, world champion alongside Kimpembe during the Russian campaign, in 2018, with the Blues.
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2026 in the back of my mind
And the 2026 World Cup? “You have to ask the question (to Didier Deschamps). Being realistic, the most important thing is to find minutes with my club, have fun and become efficient again. The French team means being efficient. And without performance, we can't dream of it. I hope I will be there but you have to be realistic. I will do the work with my club to claim to be there”assures Presnel Kimpembe. And to add: “I feel very good. If I wasn’t feeling well, you wouldn’t have heard me (laughs)”. Tuesday, at a press conference, Luis Enrique largely opened the door to this return to the group: “It’s an ideal match to see some players. After speaking with Presnel, to see if he feels ready to play, he feels better, he was able to train with the team during this month. It's important to talk with the player to see what their state is. He’s ready to help the team.”
It remains to be seen to what extent Kimpembe will be called upon to help the team in the future. The least we can say is that he will have to fight to find a starting place. Since his injury, PSG have attracted a number of left-footed defenders, starting with another world champion, Lucas Hernandez. The latter is also coming back from injury. The former Munich player can also play as a left-back, a position where he will compete with Nuno Mendes. In the center, in addition to the right-hander Marquinhos, there is the Brazilian Lucas Beraldo, who has not (yet) shown that he has the makings of a potential starter, Hernandez, and Willian Pacho.
Recruited at a high price last summer (€40 million), the Ecuadorian defender has made everyone agree since the start of the season. A real nice surprise. A real good pick. Clearly, Kimpembe will have to show himself (very) strong in training and during the minutes that we give him here and there to get out of the role of simple big brother and put on his indisputable starting tunic again. Note that some coaches are completely resistant to the idea of fielding two left-handers in central defense. This is not the case for Luis Enrique. This opens up certain perspectives. One thing is certain: Presnel Kimpembe's profile meets the expectations of the Spanish coach, unlike Milan Skriniar for example. Strong in duels, precise on restarts and good at managing depth. His experience at the club and on the international scene can't do any harm in such a young team. And his titi status is not nothing.
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No gift
However, you should not expect a gift or seniority bonus from Luis Enrique. Not the house type. To return to the forefront, in Paris first, in the French team why not, “Presko” will have to rely only on himself. He will already have to find the rhythm of the competition, not an easy task after so much time away from the field, and show that his body has finished playing against him. Then, it will be up to the Spanish coach to decide. We imagine that it would be heartbreaking to have to leave the Parc des Princes to regain your starting points. But we're not there yet. For now, the field of possibilities is open. In the meantime, place at Espaly. The first day of the rest of Presnel Kimpembe's career.
