 Ever since Camel Meriem started bamboozling defenders as a youngster at Sochaux, he has had to live with the dreaded ‘new Zidane’ tag. While this is undoubtedly a flattering compliment, it has also placed ridiculously high expectations on his shoulders. After a week in which the real Zidane made a dramatic international return - and Meriem lost his place in the France squad once again - the 25-year-old is focusing on re-launching his career at Monaco.
Three seasons at Bordeaux and one at Marseille preceded the playmaker’s £4.5m switch to the Stade Louis II, where he hopes the influence of Didier Deschamps will transform his game from a very good to a world-class level. As Monaco look to turn around a 1-0 first-leg defeat against Real Betis in the Champions’ League on Tuesday, Meriem told channel4.com's Laurent Lacroix why it is crucial they book their place in the group phase.
On Saturday you made an unhappy return to your old club Bordeaux, where Monaco lost 1-0. How did it feel to be playing for the away side at the Stade Chaban-Delmas?
It was a bit strange to come up against my former teammates because it wasn't long ago that I left. But at the same time, it was nice as I have some good memories from Bordeaux. I had some difficult times when I wasn’t in the team or when I was being played out of position, but all in all I’ll look back at my time at Bordeaux with a positive impression. I can understand the crowd not being so positive towards me because they are disappointed that I left them.
You’ve already played for two big clubs in France in Marseille and Bordeaux. Why did you join Monaco and not move to Spain where several clubs, notably Sevilla, were interested?
It’s true that I've played for three of France’s biggest teams now. But I regard Monaco as a step up from Bordeaux. They are similar clubs in many respects – both are very ambitious. But I feel that at this moment in time Monaco have a stronger squad and the sporting challenge is greater. If I can establish myself at Monaco then that will be a positive step in my career. Perhaps one day I will play abroad but I felt this was the right move for me at that moment in time.
Plus at Monaco you are playing in the Champions’ League…
Of course the Champions’ League was a factor. There is an awful lot riding on our match with Real Betis but we are confident that we can put them in difficulty at home. We’ll do everything to qualify for the group phase because playing in this competition is a massive boost, both for the players and the club. From my point of view, playing in the Champions’ League will help me progress and perhaps give my game a bit more maturity.
How do you rate Monaco’s chances after losing 1-0 in Spain?
It was hard to accept because we conceded with the last kick of the game. But they have a lot of quality players and they can make the difference at any moment. We’ll have to find a balance between attack and defence in the second leg because we cannot allow them to take the lead. We’ve got 90 minutes to get the goal we absolutely need so we will need to be patient and attack intelligently.
How have you found playing under Didier Deschamps since you joined Monaco?
It’s been good. So far he is as I expected – a very good Coach. He studies all of the permutations possible and informs us of every detail of the opposition’s game that might be useful. He takes a lot of time to talk to the players, tells them exactly what he expects of everyone. In training we work a lot on positioning and spend time correcting little details.
What does he expect from you?
He expects me to dictate the rhythm of the games a bit and to try to make the difference in the final third. He knows I am capable of making goalscoring passes and also scoring goals myself, so this is what we are working on.
After complaining that you were being played on the wing at Bordeaux, that’s exactly where Deschamps is playing you at Monaco.
I have been playing on the left recently, but I can also operate in the centre and on the right. I am happy right now because I am playing with a bit of freedom, even if my starting position is on the left flank and I prefer to be more central.
Did you watch Zinedine Zidane’s France comeback on Wednesday and do you regard his return as a major blow to your personal World Cup chances?
I watched the France match like everyone and it was a real pleasure to see the team playing well again. I’m delighted that Zidane is back, even if it is going to make it even harder for me to integrate into the squad once more. When it boils down to it, we are all France supporters and we all want to see the national team doing well. From my point of view, I just intend to work hard at Monaco and to forge a place for myself in this team. Hopefully if I do that I will get a chance to play for France again soon.
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