Tested positive for Covid-19 during the international break, Ander Herrera returned to the field on Friday evening in Nîmes (0-4). He says he is ready to face Manchester United on Tuesday (9 p.m.), his former club with which he eliminated PSG to everyone’s surprise in 2019 ( Editor’s note: 3-1 victory at the Parc, after a 0-2 defeat in the first leg ). But the 31-year-old Spaniard refuses to fire the slightest plan in the Champions League, arguing that the competition is far too tough and uncertain to make it an imperative goal.
Do you think Manchester United has improved since the last meeting with PSG?
ANDER HERRERA. Manchester has grown in maturity and consistency. They already had a lot of talent with players like Rashford or Martial and improved the group with Fernandes, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka. But we have to think of us. If we play at our level, we have a lot of chances to win the game, even if they have improved.
What memories come back to you from the club’s qualification on March 6, 2019. Do you talk about it with your Parisian partners?
At the time, I was a Manchester player so I was very happy with the victory. Due to the many injuries, we had played with a majority of inexperienced players. We didn’t have much hope of qualifying before the match, but we won. But today, I’m at PSG and I’m enjoying it. We had a fantastic season last season. If I start the game on Tuesday, I will try to play in the best way to win.
How do you judge Manchester today?
It would not be fair for the coaches and the players who followed to compare the other periods with that of Ferguson. At that time, the competition was not at the same level. Manchester United are still one of the big teams in the Premier League, although there are more competitions now. But what Ferguson has done is second to none.
How do you see Paul Pogba? Is he the leader the club has been waiting for?
He has got everything! There is no milieu like it. He can eliminate one on one, defend, attack, play box to box… He has all the qualities. Since the arrival of Bruno Fernandes, who took the role of number 10, he has played a little lower than in my time. But Pogba has all the qualities to become one of the best players in the world. If Manchester United are able to play all titles, Pogba will be in the list for the Ballon d’Or. And even though I’m a Parisian, I wish Paul and Manchester the best.
Did you discuss among yourselves the goal of winning the Champions League?
Honestly, we’re talking about winning tomorrow’s game. But we cannot set ourselves the sole objective of winning the Champions League. About ten teams dream of winning it. Our main objective is to win national competitions. It wouldn’t be fair to put the same obligation on the Champions League, so many big teams like Barcelona, Real, Bayern, Liverpool, Manchester, Inter Milan, Juventus are also thinking about it. We have the talent. We will fight with our heart, our body and our head for that. But it’s not a goal, it’s a dream.
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
