Layvin Kurzawa: 'We'll have to be ready'

Layvin, how have you coped with your various injuries?
"It's been tough between the pubalgia and the herniated disc as I have spent two years always with pain somewhere. After the operation in September, I put everything else aside to really focus on my body. Today, it seems to have worked, I think I did some good work. I had a special programme, I got back to training in November with a lot of physical work in the gym and with the physios, and it went well.

It was also a special time for you as you became a father...
"I was on the way to the hospital when my wife called me to tell me she was going to give birth. I wanted to see my daughter come into this world, and so in spite of my operation, I managed to stand next to my wife for that moment. It was the most beautiful moment of my life. It changes everything. I don't have words to explain it. It's incredible, it's the best thing that's happened to me."

How did you feel when you got back onto the pitch? 
"It was against Pontivy in the Coupe de France, I played more than an hour. I needed to get back to basics, touch the ball, try to be 100% to help my team. After that, I came off the bench a few times, the aim was to get my rhythm back and do the right things, get the good feelings back. Then, there was Montpellier when I felt free and was able to score that goal that did me a lot of good. Against Nîmes, we won 3-0 and I played 90 minutes."

At Old Trafford, you had the backing of some fantastic Parisian fans. 
"They made more noise than the home fans and that did us a lot of good. To hear them in a big stadium like that was incredible. In the return leg we'll be at home, and it'll do us a lot of good to have the whole stadium behind us. It's up to us to do what's necessary to give back to them what they give us during the game with their songs and their support."

How are you preparing for the second leg?
"We started from thee end of the first leg, even if we had league games on which we had to focus. Manchester United has been on our minds because if we win, we'll break new ground. We'll have to be ready, because they will be. We have already had some similar games in front of our fans. We have to win by playing good football."