At the Santiago Bernabeu Killian Ambape Already played, and even scored. But tonight (Tuesday, 22:00, live on SPORT5) it will be a special day for the young star of Paris Saint-Germain, when he plays for the first time at the Camp Nou, Barcelona’s stadium. Sometimes we forget that this is a 22-year-old player in total. So it should not really surprise us that only today he will play for the first time in one of the most famous stadiums in the world.
One thing is for sure, against Leo Messi he has already played. And not just played, but gave the presentation of his life. It happened two and a half years ago in Kazan, as part of the World Cup in Russia. Just like then it was in the quarterfinals, and even before that game there was talk of the meeting between the best player in the world and the one who might one day replace him. How it ended then, everyone remembers. France defeated Argentina 3: 4 in the best and most dramatic game that was in that World Cup, on the way to winning the most prestigious title. Ambape gave an almost perfect game, squeezing a penalty after an incredible gallop and scoring two goals.
Of course, it is impossible to compare Messi with Ambape, who have been separated for 11 years. Messi has won almost every title that exists, Ambape is still at the beginning of the road. But one thing the young Frenchman has and Messi still fantasizes about is the World Cup.
Who was supposed to be the focus tonight is Neymar, the Brazilian star who collaborated with Messi for four magical years, but left in the summer of 2017 in favor of the City of Lights, in the most expensive deal in the history of football, 222 million euros.
If Neymar had not been injured a week ago in a negligible cup game, he would be the main story today – a return to Camp Nou, the meeting with his good friend Messi, the memories from the historic 1: 6, and all that jazz. But in Neymar’s absence all eyes will naturally turn to Ambape. Despite his young age, the responsibility is mainly on him, to show leadership, to help his team get a good result in the away game, before the rematch in Paris in three weeks – and hopefully Neymar will recover by then and be able to play.
Neymar and Ambape are the crowns of the crown in Qatar’s ambitious project, which acquired PSG in 2011. The acquisition of both has sent a sharp and clear message: we want to win the Champions League, and we will not rest or be quiet until this dream comes true. For the first two years it was a fiasco, with painful relegations against Real Madrid and especially Manchester United. But last season the glass ceiling was broken. PSG qualified for the Champions League final, and although they lost in the final in Lisbon to Bayern Munich, it was clear that this was a milestone. Which is another step in the group’s progress towards the desired goal.
Needless to say, Ambepa did not arrive fully qualified for the Lisbon bubble. He was injured in the French Cup final against Saint-Etienne. He did play in the semifinals and finals, but it was not the jet Killian that everyone knows. Something was missing there.
He is now coming to the meeting against Barcelona in excellent shape. With 16 goals in 21 games in the French league, he leads the table of conquerors. In recent weeks, after a small and insignificant break, he has returned to scoring. The goals he scored against Nim and against Monaco were just amazing.
Ambape had a problem with everything to do with the Champions League. An unexplained drought that lasted a whole year. Yes, since the goal against Glatsray at the end of the home leg in December 2019, before the corona bursts into our lives, Killian has not scored in 9 consecutive Champions League games – until the ice broke against another Turkish, in Shakshair, at the end of the 2020 home leg. Certainly in his success rate in front of goal. In the 2018-19 season he averaged 1.27 goals per game, last season the figure dropped to 1.07 and this season it stands at 0.94. The “expected goals” column also has a slight decrease. From 1.08 to 90 minutes to 0.94 and 0.87. These are not big differences, but precisely at this stage in his career the data should improve. This is what happened to Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
But there is also a positive Nathan: he kicks his left foot more often, his weakness. From just 16 percent in the previous two seasons to 25 percent this season. And it indicates that he continues to work on himself, realizing that he has quite a bit more to improve.
The big question regarding Killian Ambape is where he will play next season. His contract with PSG will expire in the summer of 2022, which means that if he does not extend his current contract, PSG will probably have to sell him this summer. That otherwise he will leave in a year and a half for free. And the billionaires from Qatar will not give up a player worth at least 200 million euros so quickly. If until a few months ago the feeling was that Neymar was determined to move to Real Madrid, the team he has been a fan of since childhood, the situation has probably changed since then.
First, the status of Zinedine Zidane in Real is unstable. There is a reasonable chance he will not be the coach next season. Zidane has known Ambape and his family since he was 11. He was the one who summoned him to the Real Academy academy when he was an anonymous boy. Second, those close to him believe that now is not the time to move on. That one can wait another two to three years with the transition. PSG is another team after qualifying for the finals last season. This is already a legitimate group among the greats of Europe. This is not a team that is played for just because of the huge salary.
Ambepa himself said after the victory over Montpellier: “I am currently thinking about extending the contract. And if I do, it is to stay in Passage for a long time.” This is actually the big dilemma so the contract has not yet been signed and contacts are continuing. PSG will strive to sign him to a 4 or 5 year contract. He wants a slightly shorter period. By the way, Ambape has no agent. Leading the negotiations with President Nasser al-Khalafi and athletic director Leonardo are parents Wilfred and Faiza, along with attorneys Dolphin and Rehiden.
The French media reported that the three met with quite a few agents and received tempting (unofficial) offers. Apart from Real Madrid, Liverpool’s name was also mentioned. But for Ambape it is clear that if Liverpool do not qualify for the Champions League next season, this option will not be considered at all. What could dramatically affect Ambape’s decision, and in fact PSG’s, is Messi’s decision. If he decides to respond to the pleas and arrive in Paris in the summer after his Barça contract expires, it will complicate PSG in terms of financial fair play. She will not be able to pay the replica salaries of Neymar, Mbabane and also Messi. Someone will have to leave. And with all the sorrow involved it will probably be Ambape, since no team in the world is capable of acquiring Neymar.
Which brings us back to tonight’s game, where two of the three will play while the third’s spirit will hover overhead. And for Killian it could be that it would be a kind of Clasico. Nevertheless Real Madrid fans have long been fantasizing about seeing him rushing in front of the Catalan defense in the white uniform.
Mauricio Pochettino, PSG’s new coach, knows how significant Ambape is for his team in both meetings against Barça, the team he has not really forgiven since his days as a player and as Espanyol coach. Not many remember, but Pochettino got to know Ambape up close when the boy was not yet 17. On December 10, 2015, more than 5 years ago, Tottenham hosted Monaco in the Europa League. Pochettino’s team won quite easily 1: 4, but the Argentine coach could not hide his admiration for the 16-year-old who came in as a substitute and cooked calmly and artfully to Stefan al-Sharawi, who scored.
It was just Ambape’s second game in Monaco’s seniors, with no one outside France until then knowing who he was. Today the whole world knows, and tonight all Paris Saint-Germain fans – and almost all Real Madrid fans will join them – are looking forward to seeing another show of the best young player in the world.
