Lucas Chevalier arrived at Clairefontaine with his suitcase of uncertainties. Barring a disaster for Mike Maignan, the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper knows that he will not have to manage the French team’s next qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup against Ukraine. Enough to allow him to experience this start of the gathering in the shadows, without too much pressure. Because in recent days, the 24-year-old has experienced hellish media hype. Regularly singled out for his mixed performances, Chevalier has managed to add controversy to his sporting concerns.
Knight goes through galleys
Guilty of a like on a publication favorable to the National Rally, the former Lille player had to manage this event just before the start of the clash against Olympique Lyonnais (3-2). Cornered, he had no choice but to break the silence around 4 a.m. “I was able to see what he could have said about me regarding the fact that I liked a post on Instagram with a political orientation, which I obviously do not share. I’m not trying to convince you, but it’s sad to know that by scrolling and leaving a like without realizing it on a post, you are informed that your image is soiled from top to bottom for an accidental action. It annoys me. The damage is done and things have been pronounced against me. You tried to make me look like a fascist, and it was not just me that you targeted, but my entire family.”
A media outing deemed by some as clumsy as his latest interventions on the pitch at Groupama Stadium. Far from having resolved his case, Lucas Chevalier hopes to take advantage of this international break to breathe mentally. But at a time when he appears more than ever alone in the world, the Parisian goalkeeper was able to count on the indirect support of video analyst and trainer Thierry Barnerat. This name may not mean anything to you, but Barnerat takes care of a certain Thibaut Courtois. And when the coach of the best goalkeeper in the world speaks, we tend to think that we should listen to him. Out of silence at the microphone of RMCBarnerat explained that the two goals conceded by Chevalier in Lyon were not solely his fault.
Endangered by Luis Enrique’s tactics
“They (the two goal actions) are identical because he must respond to the tactical requirement of Luis Enrique who asks to stay behind his block, very close, to limit the spaces. But you can’t coach a goalkeeper like that because you always have to defend the goal in a defensive situation.”he declared, before ensuring that he was certain that it was the Spanish coach’s tactics which put him in difficulty. “I’m not with them, but I think so 100%. (…) If we talk about the general level of Lucas Chevalier and what he has produced so far, it is clear that he is not at 100% of the level of performance that he could achieve. On both goals, it was Luis Enrique who imposed a tactical situation which put the goalkeeper in difficulty. » But that’s not all.
For Barnerat, if Chevalier also has difficulty showing 100% of his abilities, it is also because he has not yet digested his transfer to PSG. Having gone from a less publicized environment in Lille to the XXL exposure of the capital club, the goalkeeper is not yet mentally ready. A not surprising observation, especially since it should be remembered that if Chevalier was ardently desired by Luis Enrique, the French international succeeded a Gianluigi Donnarumma adored by Parisian fans, but pushed towards stupidity despite his last six magical months with the Rouge et Bleu. A heavy context which necessarily affects the performance of the neo-Parisian. “In this match against Lyon, he has body language where you see that he is not anchored. This is the first time I’ve seen him like that. You see that he is not emotionally stable, he has no anchor.” Will Lucas Chevalier be able to reverse the trend?
