Eliesse Ben Seghir (17) scored twice for his first match in Ligue 1. Before the match against Brest on Sunday (3 p.m.), his club does not want to burn his wings.
With his double on his Ligue 1 debut on Wednesday, Eliesse Ben Seghir has already made a name for himself at just 17, but the leaders of Monaco and his coach Philippe Clement have drawn up a plan to protect him from the various pitfalls that lie in wait for prodigies of its caliber.
On Sunday (3:00 p.m.) against Brest, the Monegasque supporters present at Louis-II will perhaps have the chance to see Ben Seghir at work, whom they had glimpsed in stoppage time against Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League (4 -1) on November 3 for his very first pro appearance.
On the other hand, they should not hear it. Philippe Clement was clear: “For the moment, no interview».
The Belgian coach and his sporting director Paul Mitchell warned the attacking midfielder, Franco-Moroccan born on February 16, 2005 in Saint-Tropez, passed through Cogolin and Fréjus before arriving in Monaco in May 2020 and signing there, in last August, his first three-year professional contract: he will now have to be extra vigilant on and off the pitch.
“Hole in the Road”
«I will protect him for the next few months, assures Clement. It’s necessary. We have been preparing this story together for some time. I know how it goes. You get a lot more media attention. There will therefore be no interview with him for the moment. He must focus on football to confirm in the coming months».
«We know it: new agents are coming, new friends, new girlfriends too, continues Clement. I talked about all this with Eliesse, who wants to succeed. He understands that there are holes in the road to becoming a great player. It’s my role to help him with more difficult things, as a coach, but also a bit like a second father. We prepare young people for this. It is important for him that he gain experience.»
Read alsoFive things to know about Eliesse Ben Seghir, author of a double at 17 for his first match in Ligue 1
His teammate Ismaïl Jakobs notes that Ben Seghir, listening, “show humility»: «He’s a boy we love very much“. Moreover, pushed by his partners to lead the celebration of the victory in Auxerre with the Monegasque supporters, the French international U18 found himself less comfortable than on the ground a few minutes earlier.
For Clement, seeing him at ease from his debut, “it’s not a surprise, otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought him in at half-time like that, he says. After he scores a double, it’s something else. I don’t have a crystal ball».
“A surprise for no one”
For Jakobs, holder with Senegal during the World Cup in Qatar, Ben Seghir, whose older brother Salim (19) plays for OM, is “very good in his movements between the lines, as in his ability to pass them through a very direct game, with a very good shot».
«His level at Auxerre was no surprise to anyone, continues Jakobs. We see what he does on a daily basis, as we saw in the friendly matches. He has a lot of talent and can help us a lot this season.»
Again, Clement will have to manage. “We have to think (about his playing time, Ed), he explains. His size is not yet 100%. We have to see what we can do. This goes for all players. We have a very good staff. That’s why there are very few injuries. It is very important to ensure this.»
Other players at the academy, like 18-year-old Edan Diop and Malamine Efekele, could follow his example: they have already played friendlies with the first team this season.
Without forgetting thevieux“, Maghnes Akliouche, 20, and Félix Lemarechal, 19, who are already part of the first team group.