Axel Disasi, Aston Villa’s 27-year-old defender, spoke to Le Parisien ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League 2024-2025 quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain (kick-off 9pm, CET). He spoke on a number of subjects, starting with his link with Paris, as he hails from the Paris region.
Disasi “If I can thwart their plan, I won’t hesitate.”
“As a Francilien, what does it mean to face PSG in the Champions League?
It’s a nice nod. It’s been two years since I left France, and I’m delighted to be back in my native region, where it all began for me. All my family, childhood friends and local friends will be at the Parc.
It’s going to be a chance for everyone to come and see me. My friends will all be PSG fans, they’ve told me that, but it doesn’t matter… If I can thwart their plans, I won’t be shy.”
Of course, it’s a special moment to face PSG when you’ve grown up in the Paris region. Disasi logically has relatives who are Paris fans. But that’s not going to bother him. The players know how to be abstract on the pitch. Especially at this level of competition.
The French international (5 caps) could also have played for Paris, as he explains.
Disasi “exchanges intensified, but there was no agreement.”
“During the summer of 2022, there were contacts between you and PSG…
There were discussions. Luis Campos and coach Christophe Galtier knew me from Reims. They had already tried to bring me in when they were at Lille and had kept an eye on my performances.
It was after PSG-Monaco (1-1, August 28), at the very end of the mercato, that discussions intensified, but there was no agreement. I didn’t necessarily want to leave either.”
Disasi was not mentioned for nothing in the mercato rumours, and discussions did exist with PSG. But there was no agreement, despite the wishes of Galtier and Campos. Except that it hasn’t been done. Maybe there are regrets.
It’s part of a career and part of the life of a club, and in the end everyone went their own way. From now on, we’ll have to battle it out for a place in the semi-finals. Coach Luis Enrique has put together a fine team.
Disasi “exchanges intensified, but there was no agreement.”
“During the summer of 2022, there were contacts between you and PSG…
There were discussions. Luis Campos and coach Christophe Galtier knew me from Reims. They had already tried to bring me in when they were at Lille and had kept an eye on my performances.
It was after PSG-Monaco (1-1, August 28), at the very end of the mercato, that discussions intensified, but there was no agreement. I didn’t necessarily want to leave either.”
Disasi was not mentioned for nothing in the mercato rumours, and discussions did exist with PSG. But there was no agreement, despite the wishes of Galtier and Campos. Except that it hasn’t been done. Maybe there are regrets. It’s part of a career and part of the life of a club, and in the end everyone went their own way. From now on, we’ll have to battle it out for a place in the semi-finals. Coach Luis Enrique has put together a fine team.
Disasi “against us it would be good if he stayed calm.”
“How do you judge Ousmane Dembélé’s crazy season?
I’m not impressed, because he was one of the first players to impress me when I joined the French national team. We’re all familiar with his dribbling skills, but it’s true that he sets the bar very high.
The more he scores, the more he gives the impression of having an appetite for scoring. I think he’ll have a lot of watches at the end of the year (laughs) (he and some friends have bet several watches based on the number of goals he scores this season).
I’m really happy for him, because he’s a great guy, endearing and funny. I wish him all the best for the future, even if it would be nice if he stayed calm against us.”
There aren’t really any more words to add about Dembélé, an extraordinary player whom coach Luis Enrique has managed to make grow in efficiency and regularity. But he’s constantly mentioned in the media, and it would be interesting to think a little about other players in articles and interviews.
In any case, Aston Villa are bound to be wary of him and hope he’s having a bad night. But beware, PSG have many other players who could be decisive.
