A goalkeeper Obed Nkambadio in a state of grace, a collective defensively united for 97 minutes, an opportunistic Jonathan Ikoné and a technical leader Ilan Kebbal back… Paris FC drew its exploit at PSG from these ingredients. The bet of Stéphane Gilli and his staff to launch Ilan Kebbal returning from Morocco and the CAN on Sunday evening the day after the elimination of Algeria against Nigeria paid off.
Entering at half-time, the Paris FC playmaker was behind the goal by recovering the ball from the feet of Nuno Mendes, then being the decisive passer for Ikoné, relying on Adama Camara. Kebbal was also valuable in midfield. With or without its top scorer (6 goals, 4 assists in L1), it’s not the same Paris FC. The 27-year-old from Marseillais is essential to this team.
But on Monday evening, Kebbal certainly sought a little extra soul in his frustration. The first CAN of his career, he experienced it almost entirely on the bench, playing only 11 minutes during the 3rd group match without stakes against Equatorial Guinea. On the outside, he didn’t let anything show. He brooded over Luca Zidane, with whom he shared his room.
“He’s a simple, funny, humble person, very well-mannered with a head on his shoulders, he adapted quickly, he hangs out a lot with me but also with others,” he told us about the goalkeeper. From the bench, Kebbal also came to celebrate his team’s goals without moderation.
But inside, it was more complicated. “Even he didn’t understand why he wasn’t used more, mentally it was a little hard for him,” a relative explains to us. As in the preparation matches before the CAN (18 minutes of play in 3 appearances), coach Petkovic only gave him limited credit. It is difficult to know the real reasons. Kebbal’s very limited playing time has, in any case, caused debate in the Algerian media and on the networks.
“We gained a little confidence”
Not physically tired by his CAN, Ilan Kebbal wanted to switch very quickly and return to Paris FC where he is in his element. This is why the decision to play or not against PSG was quickly made. He maintains a very strong relationship with Stéphane Gilli and is emotional. “Every year I progress, I learn with a coach who gives me confidence. I am very happy to be in this collective,” recognizes the man who is playing his 4th season at Paris FC. If his performances have necessarily attracted some interest in France and Europe, the attacking midfielder under contract until 2028 (and who could even extend) will, at least, finish the season at Paris FC.
After the match, he had no euphoria in his speech. He wanted to plan immediately for the trip to Nantes on Sunday, a crucial match for maintenance. “Facing this world-class team, we achieved a feat,” he smiles. It was a very difficult match, in matches like that we all have to run a lot. In the Championship, we are not in our place, we are in a bad situation, but we will get back up, when we see performances like the one we did this evening at the Park. We have two very important matches coming up (Nantes, Angers). We need to start getting back into it quickly. We gained a little confidence. This victory will do us good. But we must quickly move on to something else. »
