When he analyzes the performances of his two sons, professional footballers like him in his time, Lilian Thuram has to face contrasting feelings. The eldest, Marcus, was injured at the end of August and is struggling to find the light with Borussia Mönchengladbach, even if he finally unlocked his goal counter against Wolfsburg on Saturday (2-2). The youngest, Khéphren, is on his side taking on another dimension in Nice, current third in Ligue 1. We will also be able to realize this Tuesday (9 p.m.), on the occasion of the semi-final of the Coupe de France between the OGCN and Versailles.
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Seeing the native of Reggio Emilia pursue his career on the Côte d’Azur was not won in advance. After two rather mixed seasons, during which he had struggled to truly exploit his potential, the slender midfielder (1.92m) could have chosen to pursue his career elsewhere. In Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt made eyes at him. But the former Monegasque decided to continue with the Gym. Better: he extended his contract shortly after, linking his future to that of the Alpes-Maritimes club until 2025.
All that remained was to carve out a piece of the pie. And it did not seem won in advance, in a midfield which had welcomed elements such as Mario Lemina, Pablo Rosario and Morgan Schneiderlin as reinforcements. Despite this increased competition, Thuram quickly managed to gain playing time. Thanks to his versatility, he can play central midfielder as eccentric, on the left as on the right. Thanks, too, to a box-to-box midfielder profile that caught the eye of his trainer.
Thuram and Gouiri, the two scorers for OGC Nice against Metz in Ligue 1.
Credit: Getty Images
Thuram-Kluivert, explosive association
“He’s a very professional player, a modern midfielder, recently explained Christophe Galtier, in remarks relayed by The Team. He’s got size, he’s able to break lines with the ball at his feet and he’s goal-oriented.” Qualities that the French international Espoirs can best exploit in the Aiglons squadron, which is very focused on fast transitions. He was more bullied before, when Patrick Vieira, the former Nice coach, lined him up in a less secure sentinel role.
Hard-hitting and uninhibited, Khéphren Thuram has also forged a real technical bond with another “son of”, Justin Kluivert. Their association on the left side notably caused damage against Angers (1-0), on February 20, and bodes well for promise. Especially since the 20-year-old has obvious room for improvement. “He has to progress in his ability to see what’s going on behind his back, to defend, detailed Galtier to The Teamlast September. But I have no doubts about the progress he will make throughout the season.” He has already accomplished quite a bit.
Khephren Thuram (Nice) / Ligue 1
Credit: Imago
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