While a year ago the World Cup took place in Qatar where France would lose in the final against Argentina (3-3, 4-2 at the Tab), Presnel Kimpembe saw his teammates from afar while he should have been an adventure. Hit against Brest in September 2022 in the hamstring, he returned right before the disclosure of Didier Deschamps’ list. Selected, he was forced to withdraw immediately due to an Achilles tendon problem. “After various tests carried out with the technical teams of PSG but also of the French team, I made the decision not to play the World Cup… As many know, I am always ready to fight for the selection and representing my country is always a source of immense pride and having the chance to play in the most prestigious competition again is an honor. Unfortunately, my health comes first and the latest tests have shown that I cannot ensure 200% performance and I do not want to destabilize the group. I wish the best competitions to all my teammates, I have confidence in you and I will always be your biggest supporter.” he explained when having to give up the 2022 World Cup due to injury.
On the flank until mid-February, he will replay four matches, against Monaco (3-1 defeat), Bayern Munich (1-0 defeat), against Lille (4-3 victory and start) and against Olympique. of Marseille (3-0 victory) where he was forced to come off injured after 16 minutes of play. This time victim of a ruptured Achilles tendon, he knew that his 2022/2023 season was over. A date of February 26, 2023 which corresponds to the last images of Presnel Kimpembe on a football field. Finally on the billiards table, Presnel Kimpembe was successfully operated on and had to go to the rest box in order to gradually regain his composure. Composing without him, Paris Saint-Germain was able to count on Sergio Ramos and Danilo Pereira to support Marquinhos then in the summer Lucas Hernandez and Milan Skriniar came to bring their experience when the Spaniard left for Seville. Two recruits who are rather satisfactory alongside Marquinhos (even if Lucas Hernandez plays on the left following the long absence of Nuno Mendes). Meanwhile, Presnel Kimpembe’s unavailability continues and his return will not take place in 2023.
Euro 2024 and an end of contract to manage…
Missing the entire start of the season with Paris Saint-Germain, Presnel Kimpembe has missed 58 matches (59 if we count Metz this Wednesday) and 433 days of unavailability since the start of the 2022/2023 season. Figures which exceed anything he had experienced since the start of his career (32 matches missed between August 2015 and June 2022). And the year 2024 promises to be pivotal for Presnel Kimpembe. First of all, there is Euro 2024 with France in its sights. An important player in the French group (28 caps), he has seen from the hinge Dayot Upamecano – Ibrahima Konaté take the advantage while players like Benjamin Pavard, Jules Koundé and Lucas Hernandez seem to be ahead of him. Axel Disasi, Jean-Clair Todibo and William Saliba are less indisputable, but also maintain a good lead. The more the weeks and months go by, the more the possibility of seeing Presnel Kimpembe compete in the competition becomes smaller. In addition to this, the left-hander is also coming to the end of his contract at the end of the season with Paris Saint-Germain…
Still vice-captain with the capital club, the player would rather be in favor of an extension, but his physical condition is hampering negotiations. If the desire of both parties seems to be moving towards a continuation of their collaboration, the physical state of the player is a data which should not be excluded and which could be important. Moreover, he recently had to undergo a surgical check-up at the beginning of December to measure the progress of his recovery. At the end of November, Luis Enrique was rather reassuring about the player and was excited at the idea of soon being able to count on him: “I’m not a doctor, I can’t give an exact answer, but he’s back in the group, he’s doing well, he’s doing very well. I knew him, because I have already played against him, he is a leader of the group, a potential captain, I am happy and eager for him to come back. It’s always sad when a player gets injured, but also very satisfying when he comes back. About a month later, nothing seems to be moving forward for Presnel Kimpembe. If he has resumed with exercises with the group, the concern remains great with a player who, even if he sees the light at the end of the tunnel, has not yet come out of it.
