Layvin Kurzawa's Debut Delayed, Persib Prioritizes Fitness Ahead of Persis Match

Persib Bandung is confirmed not to field their new recruit, Layvin Kurzawa, during their away match against Persis Solo at Manahan Stadium in the 19th week of the BRI Super League, Saturday, January 31, 2026. 

This decision confirms Persib's cautious approach in managing their new player's fitness ahead of the crucial match.

Kurzawa only underwent his first training session with Persib on Wednesday, just days after being officially introduced at Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium (GBLA) on Sunday, January 25, following Maung Bandung's 1-0 victory over PSBS Biak. 

During that training session, the former Paris Saint-Germain player did not immediately participate in the full session with the team.

Persib's official website stated Kurzawa only underwent light training and joined solely during the warm-up. Afterwards, the French player conducted an independent fitness recovery program, indicating his physical condition remains in the adaptation phase.

This situation led Persib's coach, Bojan Hodak, to decide against bringing Kurzawa to Solo. The Croatian coach assessed the Injury risk as too high if the player were forced to perform without ideal preparation.

“(Kurzawa) isn't brought because he needs to Train and can't just show up and play. They could get injured doing that,” said Hodak.

Kurzawa's absence in the away match aligns with Persib's plan to build a medium-term foundation, not merely chase instant results. 

Hodak emphasized that even players with European backgrounds require time to adapt to the rhythm and intensity of domestic competition.

Besides Kurzawa, Persib still awaits the arrival of another new recruit, Dion Markx. Hodak confirmed the young Indonesian National Team player will arrive in the homeland soon.

“He spoke to me within 48 hours,” Hodak stated.

Kurzawa is contracted to Persib until the end of this season. The 33-year-old left-back has an extensive track record at Europe's elite level with PSG, a club he represented for eight years. 

During that period, he made 154 appearances across all competitions, contributing 14 goals and 23 assists, including performances in the Champions League.

With Les Parisiens, Kurzawa also collected 20 domestic titles, five of which were Ligue 1 trophies. 

His consistency at club level earned him call-ups to the French National Team with 13 caps total, as recorded by Transfermarkt.

Before joining Persib, Kurzawa's last club was Boavista in the Portuguese League. He had been without a club since last July until finally being signed by Maung Bandung in this month's transfer window.