MHSC – PSG: “Never easy at Mosson”, remembers Nordi Mukiele, the former Montpellier player

Nordi Mukiele s’est confié en visio depuis le nouveau centre d’entraînement du PSG, à Poissy, jeudi. PSG

Pour la première fois depuis son départ du MHSC en 2018, le défenseur du PSG, va fouler la pelouse montpelliéraine, ce dimanche 17 mars, à 20 h 45.

He said goodbye to Mosson one evening in April 2018, after a year and a half in Montpellier colors. Left immediately for Leipzig, and the biggest transfer from the MHSC (16 M€) until the sale of Elye Wahi (35 M€) last summer, Nordi Mukiele ( 26 years old) had continued his rise across the Rhine. That of a kid from Montreuil who passed through Laval (L2) then arrived at the high level via La Paillade.
Here he is back in Hérault, this Sunday, in the opposite camp and a Paris Saint-Germain where the ex-pailladin defender is chasing playing time under Luis Enrique (14 matches in all competitions this season). Without having lost that smile well known in Montpellier. He spoke on Thursday, the day his brother Nordan signed his first contract with Stade Rennais.
An injury prevented you from doing so last season. But you will therefore find La Mosson, a first since your departure in 2018.

How does it feel to come back to this stadium, this time in the visiting locker room ?

Last season, I was very disappointed to be injured. Just a few weeks later, I think, we were supposed to play against Montpellier. This time, I am lucky enough to be able to return to Montpellier, to La Mosson. And frankly, I'm very happy. Because it was Montpellier that introduced me to L1, it was there where I continued to evolve, to progress. Coming back, sincerely, will be with much, much joy.

You stayed at MHSC for a year and a half. How important was this passage in your career??

I only stayed for a year and a half but I have the impression of having spent three or four years there. From the first day, I felt very comfortable. Montpellier is truly a family club.
The coach (Michel) Der Zakarian, who is still there and with whom I played for a full season, made me progress, whether in work or demands. I learned from him and I still thank him for it today. But I hope that everything goes well for us there, putting the emotional aside.

Your ex-teammate at MHSC, Daniel Congré, told us in 2021 that it ’hadn"not every day been easy”. That the coach had tried to “put you on the right track”. What do you remember about your relationship ? He didn't let you go, he was hard ?

He was hard on me and that was completely normal. I arrived from Ligue 2, I thought that life was good, that I had achieved everything. Yet no. It was difficult, I had to be a little more hardworking at that time. And coach Der Zakarian pointed this out to me. I worked a lot with him afterwards.
This year helped me when I arrived in Germany. I was already somewhat prepared for the high level, for work. It was very good of him not to have given up on me and to have continued to be hard on me because that’s how I evolved.< /p>

Also read:MHSC – PSG: Montpellier must not lose track before April

Since 2018, you have returned to La Mosson several times. What links have you kept with La Paillade ?

I came back to attend a meeting. I missed it. I had a very good stay there, in daily life or professionally. In such a short time, I have forged real links with the leaders, the supporters and even the city. I still watch MHSC matches even though there aren't many players left that I played with, apart from Benjamin Lecomte. But it remains my first high-level club.

In Paris, you discover the Luis Enrique method. How would you describe it ?

Requirement, work already. He’s a coach with a lot of ideas, different from my previous coaches. It’s a game that helps you progress technically and tactically. Since he arrived, each player has evolved in certain aspects of the game.
I knew it wouldn't be easy at first because it's a new way of doing things. But considering the results and our services, it works well. It's up to us to continue, the hardest part being staying at the top. What we do.

You who know the ragtag mentality well, what type of match do you expect at La Mosson ?

Very complicated. It’s never easy to win at La Mosson, even more so in this period which is a little complicated for Montpellier. I had already played against Paris when I was at MHSC and it was difficult. Knowing this mentality and their squad, with a very good coach and very good players, I expect it to be tough.

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