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Moussa Diaby, wherever he plays for Aston Villa, fondly remembers his childhood in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. He proudly wears the No 19 jersey as a tribute to his hometown in the north-east of the city. He explains, “I chose this number to show my friends and family that they are always on my mind. I am grateful to this arrondissement for the support and love they have shown me throughout my career. I will always hold a special place in my heart for this area.”
He has been wearing the same shirt number since he joined Crotone, an Italian Serie A team, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain when he was a teenager. He continued to wear that number at Bayer Leverkusen, where he established himself as a promising young talent, leading to his record-breaking transfer to Villa in the summer. However, when he returned to PSG, the club he had joined at the age of 13, there was a small issue. “At that time, Lassana Diarra, a great player who also played for Real Madrid, had the No. 19,” Diaby recalls with a smile. “I was still young and I couldn’t ask to change numbers… I just wanted to focus on playing.”
Growing up as one of 10 siblings in a Malian family, the idea of playing for PSG in Europe seemed like a far-off dream. However, Diaby recalls that it was not entirely impossible. At the age of 15, he was given the opportunity to be a ballboy at Parc des Princes during a match against Lille, marking his first time inside a major stadium.
Diaby and Fofana, both members of the French national team, were inspired to invite children from their former neighborhood to join them at their Europa League playoff matches in Leverkusen and Monaco in February. They both grew up in the same district and played together for Esperance Paris 19eme, where their coach, Losseni Sy, also acted as a mentor for Diaby. According to Diaby, they aimed to include as many kids as possible in this opportunity, as they never had a chance like this when they were growing up. For Diaby, it was important to give back to the community and inspire the kids to dream big.
The determination shown by Diaby’s arrival at Villa Park has led to a steady increase in success, with no signs of slowing down. In their match against Manchester City on Wednesday, Villa dominated and extended their unbeaten home streak to 14 games – a record also achieved in 1930-31. This impressive performance has even caught the attention of Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, who believes Villa could be title contenders. Arsenal, the current league leaders, will visit Villa on Saturday, giving them a chance to gauge their potential. Along with their domestic success, Villa is favored to win the Europa Conference League and Diaby is aware that a strong finish this season could possibly earn him a spot on France’s Euro 2024 team.
Diaby developed his talents in the culturally diverse urban environment of Paris, specifically near Rue du Maroc. In addition to honing his skills at the local park, he also played futsal, basketball, and volleyball. Despite the many distractions, Diaby admits to occasionally getting into trouble by sneaking out to play with friends without his parents’ knowledge.
Diaby values speed as a crucial aspect. He believes it comes naturally to him, but he has also developed the skill with guidance from Kylian Mbappé. Mbappé’s drive to win extends even to training sessions with PSG, where he always strives to score. He advised Diaby to utilize his speed, which has led to improvement in his game. Diaby has also learned when and how to use his pace effectively. With age comes a greater understanding of one’s body and mind, and Mbappé has helped Diaby with his positioning and confidence in attacking with his abilities. When asked who is faster between them, Diaby humorously responds with “him.”
Diaby has certainly hit the ground running at Villa. He scored the first of his four goals for the club on debut at Newcastle and registered his fourth assist by expertly supplying Ollie Watkins for a 90th-minute equaliser at Bournemouth last weekend. Diaby, who has settled with his young family in Sutton Coldfield, concedes he knew little about Villa before signing but his compatriots Lucas Digne and Boubacar Kamara offered him a potted history of sorts.
Diaby downplays his English abilities, but he successfully conducts a 40-minute interview without any difficulties. Digne, Clément Lenglet, and the French-speaking Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans are available to assist with translations during training if needed. “I was familiar with the Premier League before coming here and I witnessed the high level of intensity and physicality in the game. I wanted to demonstrate that I can compete with top players in this league. It’s not an easy task, as it requires constant focus and dedication.”
Diaby and the Villa manager, Emery, have a history going back several years. When Diaby was just 18 and still in the academy, Emery invited him to train with the PSG first-team during an international break. As a young professional, Diaby had the opportunity to train with big names such as Mbappé, Neymar, Verratti, Thiago Silva, and Marquinhos. Later on, Gianluigi Buffon joined the team. While PSG’s roster may have changed, Emery’s high expectations have not.
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According to Diaby, the coach encourages players to aim for six goals in the next game after scoring five in a game. He is not strict, but he constantly motivates players to give their best effort. The coach’s approach allows us to learn and improve.
The individual who is 24 years old had two options in the month of July: either commit to Emery’s transformation of Villa or team up with Cristiano Ronaldo at the Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr, who matched Villa’s offer of €60m. Diaby is one of a small number of players who turned down a high-paying transfer to the Gulf.
“I made the decision to join this project. After talking to the coach, I was convinced that this was the right place for me. Playing in the Premier League has always been a goal of mine and I am excited to finally have the opportunity. While considering offers from Saudi, I consulted with my agent and family, but ultimately my desire to compete against top teams led me to choose the Premier League, widely recognized as the top league in the world.”
This is also an opportunity for Diaby to return to the biggest stage. Villa, who placed seventh last season, have openly expressed their goal of breaking into the top four this year. Emery made it clear in his pitch that he wants to elevate Villa to the elite level of European teams. When asked if other teams in Villa’s position might downplay their goals, Diaby’s response is revealing. “When you have confidence, you can discuss anything,” he says. “If you want to reach the top four, you have to trust your teammates and coaches. I believe this team can compete for a top four spot and play in the Champions League next season.”
Source: theguardian.com
