Native of the Paris region and executioner of PSG in 2014, the Senegalese international aims to “finish in style” in C1 against his club at heart.
Demba Ba, the return. At home and on the land of his former exploits. If he grew up between Normandy and the Paris region, the 35-year-old Senegalese international (22 sel., 4 goals) was born in Sèvres, a few handfuls of kilometers from the Parc des Princes. PSG? His club at heart, even today, as he prepares to challenge the Rouge et Bleu for the honor with Istanbul Basaksehir (this Tuesday at 9 p.m.). “I have supported PSG since my childhood,” he claimed recently in the columns of the Parisian. This does not mean that the former Rouen player, who passed through Mouscron and Hoffenheim before landing in England, at West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea, will have feelings on Tuesday. He also demonstrated it by crucifying Paris in 2014, scoring the goal of qualifying for the Blues, at the Park. “It was a total joy. And that allowed us to reach the semi-finals of C1, it is not given to everyone. It was a great moment for me, ”he recalls at a press conference.
Basaksehir for the honor and “to finish in style” in Paris
Do not count on Turkish champions demobilized on the pretext that they have nothing more to hope for in this Champions League. “We are going to field our best team”, promises the Turkish coach, Okan Buruk, while specifying that he must also “look also at who is tired”. “It will be a complicated match, against a team that must take at least one point so as not to have to watch what is happening on the other side, analyzes Demba Ba, obviously very aware of the Parisian stakes of this meeting. For us, it will be a match to finish in style. We will have to give everything against a top European team. You have to go out in style and make sure you keep your head up. ”
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For now, heads are pretty low. First on the European scene, despite this prestigious success against Man. United. In the league, the club dear to President Erdogan occupies only a modest ninth place, tied with sixth but eight lengths from the top three made up of Analyaspor, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe (23 points against 15). “We have quality players, players who like to have the ball and who know how to play, notes Ba, taking stock of this first participation in the C1 Basaksehir. We tried to make the Turkish nation, the country proud, and to qualify, but the reality on the ground is quite different. We had a Champions League semi-finalist, a Champions League finalist and a Europa League semi-finalist. It was very complicated. We did everything we could. We lacked experience. ” However, it did not go far sometimes, as against PSG in the first leg (0-2 defeat) or during this cruel defeat against Leipzig (3-4).
“If they qualify, I hope they will go to the end”
Demba Ba
“We had good matches but, even if we played well, we did not have the results, recognizes coach Buruk. I am very proud of my players. We would have liked to be part of the first three. But I think we did some good things. ” And maybe more to come this Tuesday in Paris? “We had a lot of chances to go. And afterwards, if you don’t convert them, they mark theirs, analyzes the 47-year-old technician. It’s an offensive team, there are many of them in the offensive phases. They offer spaces and we will try to take advantage of them. ” With Irfan Can Kahveci for example, the man of the treble against Leipzig a week ago, or the former Ligue 1 Enzo Crivelli (Bordeaux, Bastia, Angers, Caen) and Nacer Chadli (Monaco). But also Demba Ba, who will put on his Parisian fan costume at the end of the 90 minutes. “In the event of qualification, Paris has the quality and the potential to go to the end,” he said. And if they qualify, I hope they will go to the end. ” He is not the only one.
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