When you are playing for a team with many superstars, finding your share of the spotlight is a huge ask. Then when you raise the level of the team to that of Paris Saint-Germain the problem only magnifies. And to add to it you are a goalkeeper in a team that currently has a goal difference of 39 in Ligue 1. But PSG’s first choice goalkeeper Kevin Trapp is ensuring that while the big name strikers plunder up front, he keeps the ‘Goals Against’ column as low as possible. Considering that he has conceded only nine goals this season, the lowest by any team in Ligue 1, he’s doing a good job so far.
It has been just five months since the German joined PSG in July from Eintracht Frankfurt on a nine-million Euro fee. But the goalkeeper hasn’t taken time settling in into a big club. “Frankfurt is a nice club but was not the biggest in Germany so it was a big difference between Frankfurt and Paris. PSG is one of the biggest clubs in the world. It was a new experience for me. The integration was easy because we have a nice team, nice characters in the team,” said Trapp yesterday when speaking to journalists here in Doha.
“It was the first time I played Champions League and for the first time I played with players like David Luiz and Zlatan (Ibrahimovic). I feel comfortable in the team. I am happy to be here,” he added.
With such big names on the team roster, the pressure on the youngster is immense but Trapp believes that sticking to the basics will bring him success. “You always have pressure. You always have to perform. But it’s always the same work that I have to do. Anticipate well, catch a ball, play with the team. At the end I try to do my work and constantly look to improve,” said the 25-year-old.
“On the pitch I have to prove that I want to play, that I want to be in the team. At the end it’s the coach who decides. My job is to make sure that I prove myself on the pitch. That’s what I try every day.”
Trapp and his PSG teammates will take on Inter Milan tomorrow and the keeper sees that as a match to test his team’s ability against another European giants. “It’s not a friendly match. Inter Milan is big team. We want to win this match. It’s a perfect match for us to see how far we are,” said Trapp.
PSG are on course to win a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title but it’s the Champions League that’s their ultimate dream. And PSG will be playing their familiar rivals Chelsea in the Round of 16. Trapp expects it to be a tough match despite Chelsea’s bad run of form in the English Premier League but believes in his team’s ability too. “Chelsea are a big team. But we don’t have to hide. We have proved already that we are a good team. We lost against Madrid by just one goal but we showed that we can play. We can beat every team. Our goal is to go as far as possible in the Champions League. It’s possible but we know that it’s not going to be easy,” said the German.
PSG defeated Chelsea when the two teams met at the same stage last year but they lost to eventual champions Barcelona. Trapp believes that his team has what it to takes to land that elusive trophy. “Champions League is always difficult. Even Barcelona and Real Madrid don’t win every year. And there are minute details that can decide the matches. We have a strong team but we have to improve little things. It’s possible to win and that’s our goal. But we are definitely capable of winning it,” said Trapp.
They definitely have the firepower up front and if Trapp can bring in solidity between the posts, then PSG’s dream can definitely turn into reality.