While Presnel Kimpembe’s time at Paris Saint-Germain ended very difficultly due to two years of injuries, he also experienced some truly great moments. Including his Champions League debut in the first leg of the round of 16 against FC Barcelona in 2017. Speaking to RMC Sport, the 30-year-old defender, now with Qatar SC, recounted how coach Unai Emery gave him his first start.
Kimpembe: “He just threw it at me like that.”
“The coach called me into his room the day before the match. I went to his room and knocked. He said, ‘How are you feeling?’ I said, ‘Good.’ ‘Are you ready?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Do you want to play?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Okay, you’re playing tomorrow.’ He just threw it at me like that.
That was Emery, Emery was crazy (smiles). Then I went back to my room.” I didn’t tell my family, I didn’t tell anyone. I kept it to myself, thinking, ‘I’m not going to put any more pressure on myself,’ because I was already having dreams the night before.
I knew Thiago (Silva) was injured, but honestly, I didn’t think the coach was going to play me. I thought he might put Serge (Aurier) in the center.
Kimpembe: “It was all or nothing.”
“That’s when I revealed myself to the public. Nobody knew me. I came through the youth academy, I trained with the pros, I didn’t play many matches.
That’s when they really gave me responsibilities, telling me, ‘You want to step up to the big level, well, now’s your chance.’ It was all or nothing.” I took responsibility and showed that I was capable of…
Kimpembe was thrown into the deep end almost suddenly, even though he had already played in Ligue 1 and shown some potential. Unai Emery’s choice wasn’t random. It was still a bit of a bold move, putting a relatively inexperienced player up against some of the best strikers in the world. This reminds us, as Luis Enrique has repeatedly emphasized since arriving at PSG, that age and experience matter less than footballing ability.
The Parisian youth player got his chance and seized it perfectly. That match was a springboard in his career; we’ve since become accustomed to seeing him play at the highest level with PSG. However, it’s not always possible to make such an immediate impact. You have to be patient and persevere through adversity. Let’s hope other players follow Kimpembe’s path. Warren is a good example. Zaïre-Emery (a 20-year-old midfielder) has since emerged, securing a solid place in the first team squad over the long term. This is despite a more difficult period last year.
