Marco Asensio, the 29-year-old Spanish attacking midfielder, has revived his career at Fenerbahçe since this summer after his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, following a loan spell at Aston Villa. The former Real Madrid player, who left in 2023 to sign for PSG, spoke to Marca about his decision and the difficult end to his time in Paris. He also placed some blame on coach Luis Enrique.
Asensio: “Overnight, I fell out of favor with the coach.”
Is this the happiest time you’ve experienced in a long time?
At PSG, I also had some good moments, playing at a high level, but what I was looking for here was consistency, because that’s what allows you to reach your best. I think I found that at Aston Villa last season, where I was also very happy.
With this challenge at Fenerbahçe, I wanted to play every three days, maintain a high level… That’s what makes me happy: playing football, training every day, playing matches… It’s on the pitch that I get the most enjoyment.
Why didn’t your time at PSG work out?
The start of the season went very well, then an injury kept me off the pitch for two months, but we managed to finish the season strong. The following year started well, but overnight, I fell out of favor with the coach. All I wanted was to enjoy playing football, so I looked for a solution.
Asensio: “He’s the kind of person who acts like that.”
What happened between you and Luis Enrique? You’ve always denied any problems between you. Luis Enrique took you to the World Cup in Qatar, but to just drop you like that…
Honestly, to my knowledge, nothing happened. Maybe he can answer that question. I know Luis Enrique very well; we played together at the World Cup, I spent a year and a half with him at PSG…
And besides, I don’t want to take it personally, because it’s already happened with other players, members of his staff… He’s the kind of person who acts like that, and I won’t say any more. For my part, I don’t hold it against him. These things can happen in the world of professional football, and that’s all there is to it.
It’s good that Asensio was able to get back on track at Fenerbahçe, regaining playing time and confidence. He went through a difficult period in his career, with being sidelined in Paris and inconsistency at Aston Villa. It’s regrettable, however, that he’s attacking coach Luis Enrique. Perhaps there’s a lack of clarity or self-reflection.
No fan or observer was truly surprised to see Asensio gradually disappear from the game. Simply put, the Spaniard hasn’t performed well. A little too timid in his play, not aggressive enough in his pressing, he hasn’t managed to integrate into the Parisian team.
The Spanish international could have looked for a different angle than a “villainous Luis Enrique.” Enrique, for his part, relied on competition and recognized that other players deserved playing time.
