2023-10-21 23:30:44
Layvin Kurzawa, the chef’s surprise against Strasbourg. Baptiste Autissier / Baptiste Autissier / Panoramic
Coming into play against Strasbourg (3-0), this Saturday, at the Parc des Princes, Layvin Kurzawa played his first minutes with Paris Saint-Germain since August 2021.
Layvin Kurzawa, the return. Perhaps not the one he expected… Returning to the capital after a loan season marked by injuries at Fulham (6 matches, 2 goals), the native of Fréjus had not yet played in an official match since the start of the season. Not before the match against Strasbourg (3-0) on Saturday, at the Parc des Princes. To tell the truth, his sole presence in Luis Enrique’s group was surprising since the start of the season, even if the 31-year-old had been fielded in a friendly match during the tour to Japan and South Korea.
In any case, it’s been a long time since Kurzawa is no longer the player for whom Paris paid €25 million in 2015, the one who played 13 matches for the France team (1 goal). The former Monegasque was, however, on the bench for every championship match. Not in C1, he is not registered on the Parisian list, nor is Italian recruit Cher Ndour. And the big moment arrived on Saturday.
Layvin Kurzawa has been part of the squad for all L1 matches since the start of the season. Frédéric Chambert / Frederic Chambert / Panoramic
While the Rouge et Bleu had already killed the suspense against a weak Strasbourg team, the Spanish coach launched Layvin Kurzawa in the 82nd minute. At the same time as the young Ndour (19 years old), who had already been entitled to a handful of minutes in Lyon (4-1 victory). This allowed him to replace Nordi Mukiele on the right for the end of the match, while Carlos Soler occupied a hybrid role the rest of the time. “He played behind in the defensive phase, but then, he mainly played in the middle. He played very well, a goal and an assist, I am very happy with his performance», commented the Asturian technician to the press, about his compatriot, indeed to his advantage on Saturday, like Fabian Ruiz elsewhere. The two Spaniards shook the nets, in an unconventional tactical pattern, in 3-3-4, in the offensive phases.
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First since August 2021
Still, the public at the Park was not moved by Kurzawa’s return. Who had not played a match in Rouge et Bleu since… August 2021 and a Champions Trophy against Losc (0-1 defeat). A good part of the 41,261 spectators indeed whistled copiously for the French international when he entered the pitch. A few minutes later, number 97 was… applauded. Cheers that we imagine are mocking. Note that the Collectif Ultras Paris was not there. The Park was placed in partial closed session after the homophobic chants against OM (4-0). The Auteuil stand was therefore empty for this meeting on the ninth day of the championship.
Luis Enrique was then invited to explain this return to business of Layvin Kurzawa. “He’s a PSG player“, he reminded those who doubted it. A player who is also under contract until 2024, he who had been extended while his previous contract expired in 2020. “I know him well, I faced him as a coach», then remembered the Spaniard, evoking the PSG-Barcelona double confrontation in 2017 (4-0, 1-6). At the time, Kurzawa was the starter on the left… Times are changing. “He has a good attitude», further explained “Lucho”, ensuring that he gives his players “the playing time they deserve“. A priori, Lucas Hernandez does not have much to worry about, while waiting for the return of Nuno Mendes (2024). In the event of an injury to the ex-Bavarian, Layvin Kurzawa might not even be the first called up…
Luis Enrique gave the former Monegasque a chance during the Asia tour last summer. Naoki Nishimura / Aflo / Panoramic
Trained at AS Monaco, Layvin Kurzawa played 154 matches with Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 14 goals (including a hat-trick against Anderlecht in 2017) and providing 23 assists, participating in the conquest of five league titles. France, five French Cups and four League Cups. Since the start of the season, he has mainly been talked about by singing insulting songs towards OM at the end of the recent Classic, at the Parc des Princes. Aged 31, he would receive 600,000 euros gross monthly according to information from Parisian.
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