Marco Asensio, a joker who finally dreams of a leading role with PSG

Kylian Mbappé’s new accomplice is starting to make his mark in the Parisian attack, before facing Brest in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France on Wednesday. Luis Enrique holds his very versatile compatriot in high esteem.

Athletes from Majorca thrive in Paris. The best known of them, Rafael Nadal, triumphed at Roland-Garros in his first final, in 2005. On January 3 at the Parc des Princes, Marco Asensio, 28, made his contribution to the Trophée des Champions victorious against Toulouse (2-0), the first Parisian title for the striker born in Palma and recruited last summer, at the end of his contract at Real Madrid. Starting in PSG’s last two matches, he is part of the group which welcomes Brest, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, Wednesday February 7 (live at 9:15 p.m. on France 3 and france.tv).

Before approaching the first turning point of his season, the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against Real Sociedad, Wednesday February 14, Luis Enrique saw his compatriot gain strength during his two starts, against Brest (2 -2) and in Strasbourg (2-1), in an offensive sector that was nevertheless provided. Asensio scored every time. In the league, he started a match five times, scoring four goals and one assist, i.e. a decisive gesture every 88 minutes. Without a foot injury that kept him off the field from the beginning of September to the end of November, he might have inflated his statistics.

“He’s not a magician.”

“He is not a magician, he does not have excellent technique, but he is very interesting because he is in the right area, at the right time, and makes the appropriate gestureappreciates Omar da Fonseca, consultant for BeIN Sports on the Spanish La Liga. He has this quality of wanting to be decisive.”

In the White House, he played a lot but was never indisputable. The competition in attack was formidable (Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema). “Without us really knowing why, with each tenure, he was insideremembers Omar da Fonseca. But as soon as he came on, he brought something to the team. It was the joker.” One of those players that we don’t know exactly where, neither striker nor midfielder, like Isco or Bernardo Silva. The first, who was his partner at Real, suffered from his versatility, the second made him an asset at Manchester City.

Luis Enrique sees it favorably. “With him, I can change the way I play during a match without changing players”, explained the Asturian technician at a press conference in November. Asensio has only played 16 minutes in this European campaign. The next 180 could help him change his status.

“A remarkable player who is not noticed”

Last season, his goal scored in the C1 quarter-final second leg against Chelsea (2-0) made Asensio the most prolific substitute in Europe, with nine goals scored coming off the bench. In Paris, for his first experience outside Spain, it is a leading role that he aspires to under the orders of Luis Enrique, the coach who made him a starter at the 2022 World Cup, in a role false number 9. The new coach, Luis De la Fuente, maintained his confidence in him: Asensio started on the right side when La Roja won, in June 2023, the Nations League final against Croatia (0-0 , 5-4 on penalties).

In a Parisian attack where Randal Kolo Muani, Gonçalo Ramos and Ousmane Dembélé play on alternating current, Asensio has a move to play. In Strasbourg, he formed a promising bond with Kylian Mbappé. Always useful to be dubbed by the influential Bondynois. “Asensio is not highlighted enough, regrets Omar da Fonseca. He is a remarkable player who is not noticed. Of suddenly, he is chasing his own recognition.”