After a season underlined my injuries, PSG’s Guillaume Hoarau is finally playing every weekend. On the eve of Sunday’s game against Marseille, the Reunion Island striker talks about his hopes and aspirations over 90 minutes...

Guillaume, you’ve been back competing for the last month. How’s it going?
“Physically speaking, everything’s going great. I’m enjoying playing week in, week out. I had some variable form. You have to grin and bear it when things are not going well, but, overall, I’m satisfied. I finally got to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

How do you judge your performances?
“I think my goals per game ratio is a little average. I’ve created a lot of chances, but I’m not happy with that. I will always miss chances. A player can always improve. I’ve still a got a few games left and, hence, I’ll have a few more chances to score. I have to keep working at training to be ready in the games.”

Did your goal against Toulouse allow you to build a little more confidence?
“Of course. The most important thing was that the goal won the three points. I’ve always been the penalty taker. There was a foul, I took the ball and focused on what I had to do. But I had other chances to score. I have to get back that little something extra that I had last year. I was scoring goal after goal. It’s all part of being a goalscorer so hopefully it will come back again.”

How are you approaching Sunday’s Classico with Marseille?
“We’re on a good run. We haven’t conceded a goal in our last three games and we’ve taken pour points from a possible six in the league. But we can’t deny that this is ‘THE’ big match for Paris. There’s a lot of expectation. Everyone will be watching, even if some think the Classico has lost its edge. That’s wrong! We, the players, know how important this game is. Without being in the race ourselves, we’ll be up against a side playing for the title. We want to prove to people that we’re not where we should be in the standings. We need to show that on Sunday. It’s the Classico, it will be physical. We’ll have to be strong.”

You scored a brace in your first ever Classico last season. Is that your best PSG memory?
“It’s a very good memory. It was first Classico and not something I’ll ever forget. But on Sunday I’ll be hoping the team wins more than scoring myself. A 1-0 win will suit me fine, whether I score or not. Me scoring isn’t the most important thing.”

You’ll also be up against your former Le Havre teammate in Steve Mandanda…
“We talk all the time on the phone. I really like Steve and we get along really well. Last season I put two past him and we still laugh about it. But if I’d called him this week I’m not sure he would still find it so funny.”