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Thibaut Villon is part of CSKA’s international team this season. The biggest success of his career was the world title for juniors in 2013. A teenager from Metz, who was drawn to Porto. Since Bruno Akrapovich took over for the Reds, Vion has been a fixture. He fitted in very well with the 3-5-2 system, which the Bosnian coach never abandoned. Before the start of the season, Vion gave an interview for the “Code Sport” program.
It’s been half a year since you were at CSKA. How you feel?
– I was very well received. The team is good and I had the opportunity to meet the French in the team. That made my adaptation easier. When I arrived, I hadn’t played for a while due to Kovid-19. It took me a while to get back on my feet. The team is doing well at the moment and I think we can achieve something this season.
CSKA played excellently in the Europa League. What is your performance appraisal?
– We show that CSKA is a great team. We could have played better if we had gotten something out of our first match against Cluj. So yeah, we played a weak match in Switzerland against Young Boys. Instead, we recorded two successful results against Roma. Too bad for the visit to Romania, we could have won. But in general, the great regret turned out to be the loss in the first meeting with “Cluj”, who confused our plans too soon.
Since you’ve been at CSKA, three coaches have changed. Do you approve of the team’s frequent change of helm?
– Of course, this situation is complicated. But when a team performs poorly, the coach often pays the price. I came here with a coach. Unfortunately, he was released. Then his assistant took over. It is difficult for the players in turns, but now we are in a good phase with the new manager and there is no reason for a new change.
With which of Stamen Belchev, Daniel Morales and Bruno Akrapovich do you feel better?
– I feel better with Akrapovich. It is no coincidence that I was able to participate in all the meetings under his leadership. The system you use matches my profile.
What has changed Akrapovich the most at CSKA?
– Akrapovich introduced more aggression, more firmness. He uses the press a lot. That is the strength of our team at this time. Since he’s been here, there has been more discipline, both on and off the field.
Akrapovic relies exclusively on the 3-5-2 scheme and is clearly a success. What tactic do you feel best on the field?
– The 3-5-2 system is also new for me, because I have not played with it often in France. But from my point of view I really like it.
CSKA’s big goal is the Bulgarian title.
– If we work hard, anything is possible. Ludogorets are a very good team, but we will have a direct clash. Bulgarian football should not be underestimated. The championship is quite disputed. It is true that when they come out against us, teams are mainly based on defensive actions. Sometimes this creates difficulties, because CSKA sometimes encounters five opponent’s defenders. Although we show that we are better in the field, this can make it difficult for us to find solutions.
Two of CSKA hang with cards before the derby with Ludogorets
Today, Maziku received a yellow card
Ludogorets will be the big contender for the title. How good is it for you that he failed so hard in the group stage of the Europa League?
– We must not look at other fronts. Ludogorets is Ludogorets and CSKA is CSKA. We perform better in Europe, better for us. They performed poorly in European tournaments, which was worse for them. But the Europa League ended for both teams, we stayed with the Bulgarian championship. We will do our best to be higher in the rankings.
Is there another team with potential for the title?
– Since I have been here I have not met all the teams in the championship. It had already started. Maybe Lokomotiv (Pd).
Many times over the years, it has become a bad tradition for CSKA to start the new year with difficulty. Did you prepare well this winter?
– This is not a problem only for CSKA. We have always run into similar difficulties in my previous teams after winter break. But we did a good preparation, we worked a lot, we were also in a camp abroad.
What is your favorite CSKA match so far?
– The Europa League matches. Moreover, when I came to Bulgaria to sign, I was in the stands and watching the game against Ludogorets (2: 2). It was a clash in which our team played very hard. And when we add the audience, really this coincidence remains mainly in my mind.
Did you learn Bulgarian words?
“Yes, I can say good afternoon, thank you, which of course is … the same in French.” But above all “Just CSKA!”.
How much longer do you see at CSKA?
“I will think season after season.” I signed in two years, until 2022. At the end of this season we will see what we have done, if the club is happy with me and this would somehow suggest my future.
Tell us about your career. How did you start with soccer?
– I started very young in Metz. I spent the entire period in the academy. Shortly before signing my first professional contract, they called me from Porto. They offered me a contract for five years, of which I won three. Then they called me back to Metz and I signed with my local club. We won League 2, then we stayed in League 1. I fought there for three and a half years and moved to Niort from the second division. I spent three years at this club. The past 2020 was quite difficult due to the pandemic, but I received an offer from Hull. In the end, however, things did not go well with the English club and then came the offer from CSKA.
Have you always reproduced?
– No, when I was very young I played forward at the top of the attack. Then I switched to the right wing. This happened in Porto and in the youth formations of the national team. Then a coach came to Niort and offered me to play as a right defender.
You are a teenager in Metz, where a famous football player was the current sports director of CSKA – Plamen Markov. Did you tell him about the French team?
“When I came, we talked about Metz.” He told me about his years at the club. Metz, by the way, has not changed much, it can be said that it is a family club. Markov has fond memories of Metz and sometimes returns there to meet friends and former colleagues.
What is it like for a 17-year-old to invite you to Porto?
– This is a dream come true, because Porto is one of the great European clubs. At the same time I received an offer from Metz, but after thinking about it a bit with my family I chose Porto, because the difference between the two clubs is really big. Then we briefly crossed paths with my current CSKA teammate Thiago Rodríguez, who also came to the team. The weather was very good and life is good in Portugal too. When I returned to Metz, I was transferred to the Belgian Seren for a year.
In the national team you played in the European Youth Championship in 2012 and became world champion in 2013 with the U20 team. What will you tell us about these two tournaments?
– When I signed with Porto, the coach of the youth team Pierre Monkowski called me. He said he had been following me for a long time and thought it was time to call me. The first year we played mainly control games. Then we got European titles. In the European Championship itself, we were eliminated from Spain in the semifinals. And the following year at the World Cup in Turkey we won the title after winning the final against Uruguay. We triumphed after penalties.
CSKA survives on the cliffs of “Ovcha Kupel”, beautiful performance by Sow delivered the three points to “Army”
Minimal success of the “reds” in the difficult terrain of the capital
France won the world youth title. Where do you keep the gold medal?
“At home in France”. I have a collection of player jerseys from teams I’ve played against. They also have the medal. I keep it well in a corner.
Who were your most famous companions then?
– All the players of that team at that time are currently in big clubs. For example, Paul Pogba, Kondogbia from Atlético, Yumtiti from Barcelona, Dean from Everton, Toven from Marseille. We had a strong generation and we were among the favorites. It is no coincidence that we managed to win the title.
What is Pogba like off the field?
– Pogba is a super kid off the field. Perhaps some, seeing him in the field, think that he is not arrogant, but he is a wonderful person. He is a born leader.
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