On Wednesday, as part of the Champions League 2024-2025 quarter-finals (return on March 15), Paris Saint-Germain take on Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes (kick-off 9pm, CET). On the eve of the match, Parisian midfielder and striker Désiré Doué (19) answered a number of questions at a press conference.
Doué “managers to help me when things aren’t going so well.”
Are individual awards important to you? In what areas do you need to improve?
I’m still a very young player, so I’m trying to improve every day. I’m surrounded by a lot of great players and managers who help me when things aren’t going so well. I still want to work hard and stay in shape.
How are you coping with your first call-up to the French national team?
It was a dream for me to play for the national team, and when I found out I’d been called up I was really happy. There was no pressure, just happiness and pride. I’m very happy with my first selection. I’m going to keep working to get back there.
Doué “l will be there to support us, help us and encourage us.”
How will you approach the match without Marquinhos?
We’ve got top-class players in every position, so the team can rotate when it needs to. He’ll be there to support us, help us and encourage us. That’s no mean feat.
Is there anything special about facing Martinez?
He’s a keeper for other people, even if he plays for Argentina, and there may be a desire for revenge on the part of the French forwards. But I haven’t played against him. The idea will be to score as many goals as possible.
A first LDC quarter-final?
I’m very happy, it’s in line with the team’s progress and success. We’re going to take this match very seriously and do our best.
Doué “I’m content to perform as well as possible”.
How do you handle the pressure?
I feel it, don’t get me wrong (smile). As for the penalty shoot-out, it’s a technical gesture that I’m working on. I tried to do it the wrong way round and it worked.
A future as captain according to some? A leadership position up for grabs?
It’s something that could happen, but I’m not thinking about it at all. There are managers and captains. I’m content to perform as well as I can and do my best to put my qualities at the service of the team.
Doué “Talking about being favourites, I don’t know if that’s the right thing to do.”
Aston Villa, a trap when you’re favourites?
In the quarter-finals of the LDC, there’s no such thing as chance. Aston Villa deserve their place. I don’t know if it’s the right thing to say about being favourites. We’re going into this match in all seriousness. We want to win, against a great team. We’re going to have to be really focused.
How do you move on from the title?
We’ve been doing that since training, and we’re focused on this Champions League match. We’re focused. Tomorrow will be the moment to play a great match.
Doué “The players and the coach talked to me because I was doing a bit too much.”
How do you make your mark at PSG without any hang-ups?
I always try to keep my personality. I’m still a young player and I still need to improve in a lot of areas. One of which is attacking. The players and the coach talked to me about the fact that I was doing a bit too much, and maybe I still am. I’m making an effort. But I also want to keep my style, my personality.
Luis Enrique’s instructions?
When you play, there are certain zones you have to respect. There are zones where you can’t dribble, where you have to pace yourself. There are others where you have more freedom. I’m trying to put that in place.
What do you learn in the big games?
It’s very rewarding. Emotionally, there’s the pressure to deal with. Coming out of Rennes, you haven’t experienced everything yet. That’s part of the learning process. I’m feeling better and better. And the team’s doing really well, so I’m very happy.
Doué “The most important thing is to perform.”
What’s your favorite moment of the season?
There are many, but I’d say the qualification against Liverpool.
Where does your passion for the show come from?
I’d say the collective is in 1, efficiency in 2 and having fun. The most important thing is to perform. If I play a match without any technical moves, but I allow the team to score, that’s better.
How do you compare with the others? Yamal, for example?
To progress, I compare myself to myself. I’ve heard that from some of the greats. I try to do that on a daily basis, analyzing my game and my training sessions with those around me and the staff. I keep this discipline and I hope it will take me to the highest level.
Doué “It’s a club that makes a lot of players dream. It’s a great project.”
Any important Portuguese players at PSG?
Yes, they help us a lot. Emotionally too. They’re really cool, which helps on a day-to-day basis. They’re great men and you can see what they do on the pitch. They’re excellent. We’re a group, and that’s our strength today.
It was difficult to impose ourselves on PSG for a while. Is the change coming from Luis Enrique? Should Akliouche and Cherki come to PSG to progress?
That’s up to them and the club, but I came here and I’m very, very happy. It’s a club that makes a lot of players dream. It’s a great project
