Lucas Chevalier (finally) has his benchmark match. Recruited by PSG last summer, the French international (1 selection), arriving from LOSC, nevertheless took time before acclimatizing to the Parisian environment. A special atmosphere where the slightest gesture is scrutinized, where the slightest like is commented on and where the slightest error is fatal. Put under pressure by Matvey Safonov in recent weeks, the native of Calais finally took advantage of a match relocated to Kuwait to send a strong message to his detractors. Thursday evening, on the lawn of the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, the last bulwark of 24 years old simply splashed the match with his talent.
Knight savors…
Imperial on his line and author of several decisive saves, Chevalier initially preserved his team’s scoring advantage. So yes, he then committed the irreparable by destabilizing Mason Greenwood in his own area but this single failure will not, this time, taint his overall performance. Better yet, after Gonçalo Ramos’ miraculous equalizer at the end of added time (94th), he pulled out all the stops during the fateful penalty shootout by repelling two attempts from Matt O’Riley and Hamed Junior Traoré. “I knew that if we went to penalties, I was going to come out because I was too determined to help the team win this trophy”underlined the person concerned at the Ligue 1+ microphone.
Brilliant on the Kuwaiti pitch and logically elected man of the match by the FM editorial team, the former LOSC goalkeeper obviously enjoyed it. “I think this is my best match since I was in Paris because I was called upon from start to finish, I had important saves to make even if everything was not perfect. I made a lot of saves but that’s not all it’s like to be a goalkeeper. There are a few situations where I can do better but I work to be more efficient, I have a lot of qualities and today we saw it again. I was already doing it in Lille but when you do it in Paris, it’s more important for people”.
…and sets things straight!
Proud of his performance, the 1m89 right-hander finally took advantage of his time in the mixed zone to close his evening with a new recital, this time in front of journalists. All smiles, serene but determined to get their messages across, the Habs then looked back on their chaotic last months in the City of Lights. “I think there was a change in atmosphere, in dimension and I think I had a lot of lessons with that. You journalists are involved in this, you have not made my life easy too, it must also be said but it is part of sporting life, at a very high level. The demands are at the maximum, I know that I do things well, things less well but I am straight in my shoes, I know what I am capable of, I know why I came to PSG and I will not give up whatever happens. People can think whatever they want, it won’t change anything for me.”.
And to add: “I felt a little unsettled because I’ve never been in that situation but I’ve never been in a vulnerable situation or anything. I just sucked it up, that’s what you have to do. It might happen to me later in my career where people will try to challenge you but that’s part of the thing, I know that here I have to be good every three days. If I’m good today, I’m going to be the best goalkeeper in the world and next week I can become one of the worst (laughs) so I’ll try to give my best every time but above all don’t worry, I’m doing very well..
Relaunched with the support of Luis Enrique – despite the interim of Matvey Safonov in the Parisian goals, particularly after Chevalier’s injury against Monaco – the number 30 of the Rouge et Bleu finally concluded his speech, as sincere as it was refreshing, with another clear-cut outing. “Well, look, it was them who chose me, it was them who wanted me, they did everything for me to come, I did everything to come so it would be too easy to say that it’s so-and-so’s fault or that people aren’t with you. In the club, there are no problems with that, we know that when you have quality and you have it in your head, it always ends up paying off”. And it is clear that Lucas Chevalier has quality in many respects…
