Lucas Digne on the Premier League: ‘You can’t let up for a single matchday.’ | OneFootball

Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne (31) has made his return to Didier Deschamps’ France national team during the international break. The former Barcelona and PSG defender benefited from the absences of Lucas Hernandez, Ferland Mendy, and Eduardo Camavinga to stake his claim for a spot at left-back for France. Digne featured during Les Bleus’ 2-0 win against Belgium in the Nations League, and the Lille OSC youth product may even establish himself as a key member of France’s squad going forward.

In a wide-ranging interview with L’Equipe, Digne lifted the lid on how Aston Villa manager Unai Emery as well as featuring in the Premier League made him a better player. “The arrival of coach Emery made me reach the next level. I have a very good feeling with him. He gave me a great deal of advice and I evolved, tactically, regarding positioning. For instance, he taught me how to better angle my body during defensive plays.”

Digne is also adamant that playing in the Premier League left him no choice but to toughen up. “It’s mandatory. Referees don’t always give fouls so we have to be physical, because we know our opponents will be too. You have to be ready. In the Premier League, you can’t let up for a single matchday.“

When asked which Premier League strikers are more difficult to deal with from a physical point of view, Digne singles out Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, his former teammate at AS Roma. “Compared to his height, he is very strong. I trained with him for a year, I saw a technically gifted player – we all know it – and a very tough one on a physical level. Every time you’re up against him, you feel like hitting a wall when barging into him.“

GFFN | Bastien Cheval