Doucouré is one of those shadow workers in an midfield that leaves little room for light.

The young Sang et Or midfielder gets used to it and continues to grow, chaining up meetings for several seasons, and climbing the ladder one by one.

"I think I'm asserting myself a lot more. Before, I was rather calm. I didn't speak. At the start of the season, I had a good chat with the coach, who asked me to assert myself. I think to have made a lot of progress on this point, "he confided at a press conference last month.

With 108 matches already on the clock with Racing, the second best total in the current Lensois workforce, the Malian takes on a new dimension, as the meetings follow one another.

To the delight of Franck Haise, his trainer.

"An extremely complete baggage"

"He has progressed at all levels, very sincerely, whether in reading situations, team balance, ball outings. He had a strong point in recovery and he continues to enrich it. Above all, he finds that he is progressing in the desire to verticalize, passes that break the lines, eliminate the players and that's something I ask him. He's starting to have an extremely complete background. "

Lensois Cheick Oumar Doucouré (in green and black jersey) hits the ball during the match against AS Monaco at the Louis II stadium in Monaco on August 21, 2021 Valery HACHE AFP / Archives

Better, Cheick Doucouré also makes use of his beautiful ball strike.

Thus, he offered himself the luxury of scoring 7 times in the Artesian jersey, including 6 times from outside the area.

Proof of his ability to provoke and of a certain talent in the last gesture.

And this, even if his role alongside Seko Fofana is perhaps a little more defensive.

"He hits and throws himself a lot so you need someone who manages the balance. It's my role, I think I do it very well and it allows the team to keep a point of balance," explained the native of Bamako.

A balance that will once again be sought against the armada of PSG, Saturday in the cauldron of Bollaert.

All the more so in a rather delicate period for the bloc of a Lens damaged since the last international truce.

The pressing is less efficient and the recovery less convincing.

Before missing the trip to Nantes due to suspension (accumulation of warnings), Doucouré would certainly be doubtful of the Parisian ogre.

And maybe make some more talk about him, even if it is decidedly not in his temperament.

"Sooner or later, it will speak to me and the most important thing is to make my matches", assures the Malian.

From shade to light, there is sometimes only a simple wick to light ...

© 2021 AFP