Bafodé Diakité: "I'm in a hurry"

Having played a starring role for LOSC Lille in their shock UEFA Champions League wins, as well as their strong start to the season in Ligue 1 McDonald's, Bafodé Diakité recently spoke to l'Équipe about his impressive rise.

What were your first impressions of facing Champions League attackers?

That it's not the same way of playing as at the weekend. There's a lot more vice. Against Sporting (0-2), I had a ball on the side, I gave it to Thomas (Meunier) and I tried to offer a one-two. There, the opponent got in front of me and hit me, blocked me in a relaxed mode. The referee didn't whistle. In Ligue 1, in general, these are the types of situations you don't see.
 

Which forward has impressed against you in your one-on-ones since the start of this competition? 

Recently, it was (Viktor) Gyökeres from Sporting. Because with this type of scorer, you don't expect so much technique. Often, it's going to play long on the attacker's chest and then you can go for it. I try to make small touches and move in front but he was complete, strong, whether with his back to goal or in behind. And when a striker drops back and takes several touches, it's fine, but if he plays with one touch like him, it's not easy to intervene.

Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius, did you have to mark them differently? 

Yes. As they are fast, playing close together is not the right strategy. We will leave a little more space. We have to leave this distance which will help us react.

You have also had international level 9s in L1 like Edinson Cavani, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexis Sanchez... 

I played Cavani at 18 and it was something! He got injured after 14 minutes (laughs). But he was constantly getting in behind me. I didn't know what I had to do, watch him, watch the ball? That day I felt what a great striker was, always on the move, well placed.

Who has caused you the most problems? 

The profiles that have height in general because I'm not one of the tallest central defenders. Against Slavia Prague, the guy (Tomas Chory) was imposing (1.99 m) and even playing him on the wing was challenging.

Which striker impressed you the most in general?
(After much thought) I didn't come up against him but the guy who comes to mind is Ousmane Dembélé. Since you were little, as a defender, you learn to move to one side to make your job easier but if you come in from that side and Dembélé, instinctively, can go inside, outside and add speed... The solution is to take him on with several players but then you have players who are unmarked

Does that require more concentration?

It's one of the main areas I want to improve on. Something comes back to me against Paris (1-3, September 1). (Bradley) Barcola's goal, do you remember it? He had the ball, he gave it to (Marco) Asensio and I knew he was behind me but I had half a second of inattention, I turned my head and he had made the run; it was too late to come back.

At the very highest level, is there a lot of teasing?

Since the start of the Champions League, only one has tried to make me lose my temper. In the first leg, Chory, I grabbed him by the jersey and he teased me: "Do you want my jersey?" Some people think that will unsettle you but I don't care, I'm in my game, I didn't answer. Then, some are tougher in duels but I tell myself, next time, I'll try to get him in the air too but always stay within the rules. For a defender, this body play is essential to take the right positions, the arms are very useful. 

Can you have ambition in the Champions League? 

Ambition, that's a big word. We have shown that we are capable of raising our level but we have to succeed as often as possible. But from there to winning the Champions Leagu (laughs)... We could have had doubts after losing to Sporting (0-2) but the win against Real gave us confidence. Afterwards, if we raise our level and we don't win, that's how it is. First of all, we will have to start by defending well. I'm in a hurry to do more...

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