Recently crowned best young player in France, Samir Nasri is ambitious while keeping his feet on the ground in all matters, including OM, the French national team and his future. “My wish is to play in the Champions League with OM,” he confides.

How are you approaching this match against Sedan?
We want to celebrate our Champions League qualification with our fans at the Vélodrome, and that requires a win. We want to finish the season well at home, and we want to get a good result, so we’ll play open, attacking football.
It’ll be a celebration because OM is returning to its rightful place in French football and will be playing Champions League football next season. But the internationals have games to play in June, so we have to remain professional right to the end.

It seems like you’re holding back…
There will be a big celebration with fireworks but there’s no need to get carried away. We did what we planned to do at the beginning of the season. We had a good season, but it wasn’t extraordinary. If we had won the Coupe de France, we could really let loose and celebrate now. We did what we had to do. We managed to bounce back in the league. With 7 games to go, we had almost given up on the Champions League.

How do you feel after being elected the best young player in L1, which followed an exceptional season?
I had a great season and I’m happy with what I achieved, because in the beginning, I didn’t have a starting place in the team. Bit by bit, I gained the confidence of the manager and gave him everything I had. From January onwards, everything went really fast. I was rewarded on Sunday night but the best thing is that we managed to qualify for the Champions League. Had I been the only one to be rewarded for the season, it would have a very different flavour.

This year has seen your first call up for Les Bleus. Raymond Domenech will announce his squad on Thursday. Are you anxious?
I’m prepared for both eventualities. I’ve been selected once, I’m 19 and I’m far from thinking I’m part of the starting eleven. I could well be called up for the U-23 team instead. If the manager thinks other players have finished the season better than I have, it’s not my place to question his decisions. I would love to be in the team again.

According to press reports, you’re being pursued by many clubs. What does your future hold?
No-one has contacted me… My wish is to play another season with OM and play in the Champions League. I have 2 years left on my contract and I feel good here, so there’s no question of leaving. OM can take me to even higher levels, notably with the Champions League and a chance to fight for the title next season – I think we have what it takes. OM’s ambitions will grow and I hope to give Lyon a run for their money next year. I want to progress and win a title with OM. It’s getting better every year, last year we finished 5th, this year 2nd. I hope we can be champions next season.

Would you be tempted by an overseas adventure in the medium or long term?
I want to play in other leagues but not at the moment. I’m only 19, it would be suicide to go overseas now. I still have to prove myself in L1. I don’t know many 19-yos who have made it by going overseas. This season, I have lived up to what was expected of me, I answered certain questions, but next year, I have to take it to the next level, because you have to be improving all the time. That comes with goals – scoring them and setting them up. I have to make myself indispensable to the team, and I haven’t yet shown everything I’ve got.