After the historic night for Blue-Black, we sprinkled comments from captain Vanaken and interim coach Hayen.
Hans Vanaken: "Thick praise for ourselves"
Club Brugge made history by reaching the semifinals of the UEFA Europa Conference League. A beaming captain Hans Vanaken reflected on the over-earned qualification.
"It is a wonderful and historic moment for Belgian soccer. How long has it been since a Belgian team achieved this? It's just great."
In the outward match, Club could have deepened the score and made it easier for themselves. "You know it can be haunting here. With their atmosphere and with their supporters it could still have been difficult, but I think we showed from the start that we were the better team. We made sure ourselves that they couldn't make it a witching match. Kudos to ourselves!".
"We dared to play soccer. At home we had seen that their pressing was not so phenomenal and that there would be space," the captain continued. "We found the depth at the right moments. Actually, everything was in that first half. The only thing is that you didn't reward yourself more and go into halftime with 0-2. The lead could have been bigger."
There was less to experience during the second half. "It was the time not to go crazy. We could, I think, control even more in their half. They didn't really know what wood arrows are made of. There was a little too much unnecessary ball loss on our part, but those are details. It's just beautiful."
PAOK could not really threaten Blauw-Zwart. "We might have expected them to be stronger, but maybe it's also our strength at the moment and we didn't give them the chance to come into the match. At home they gave the impression that they were satisfied with the 1-0, but if you start so well here and give them the feeling that you are playing easy soccer through them, then they get the feeling that it is not going to work and then you avoid the supporters getting behind them."
The opponent in the semifinals is called Fiorentina. "A good Club Brugge can dream and we have to dream. You want to make that final now, but first Union and then the matches against Genk. After that we can start looking at the matches against Fiorentina. We shouldn't be busy with it now and just enjoy the qualification."
Where a month ago things were laborious for Club, the tenor is completely different now. Our captain could only agree. "That's how it goes in soccer and that's how quickly things can change. It's also the beauty with European soccer. You can put a lot right 3 or 4 days later. A month ago we were pretty much written off in all competitions. It seemed like we only had European to make something of it, the only bright spot."
Sunday already awaits the next game at Duden Park against Union. "The important thing now is to recuperate quickly towards Sunday, because that's another important game in the league. Of course, it's nice when you're in a positive flow. Hopefully we can continue that on Sunday." he concluded smiling. (EV)
Nicky Hayen: "All compliments to my group today"
Interim coach Hayen was obviously a very satisfied coach after the beautiful and deserved victory on the PAOK pitch.
"I think the group just handled it very maturely today," Hayen began his account. "I have to say that organizationally it was very good and also on the ball we delivered quality today. I think that 0-2 just before halftime gave us the necessary breathing room to kill the game off completely. So all compliments to my group today."
In the end, the pre-discussed witchcraft did not last that long. "That's true and we discussed that enough last week. We tried to replicate some things, but of course that doesn't quite work 100%. Then you have 2 things: either you start fighting it, or you try to enjoy it and still try to have that focus. In the end, it will be decided on that green mat. Perhaps the advantage was that there was already a lot of people present during the warm-up. When you come outside, you could already hear the whistling concert and also during the warm-up and when you go inside. Then you can already imagine a little bit what is waiting for you. From day one we said we wanted to play without fear and we did that in the home game, even if it wasn't super. Today we continued that line and that's a line we want to continue to next Sunday as well."
Club played with a lot of confidence on the ball. "Absolutely and we said that before the game. If you are going to dig in here, and with the support of the crowd, then you are really going to have an even more difficult night than perhaps was intended. From the first minute we showed that we wanted the ball. Some of their guys we allowed to get the ball and some we didn't and they weren't able to take advantage of that. Then you can say the plan was right. We knew we were going to get some space, but you are always still somewhat dependent on how they are going to react. We did have the idea that if they started pushing on our 6, there would be space somewhere else. What we failed to do in the first game, we did today and then you see that you can create chances. Then it's a pity that you don't take advantage of the first of those three, because otherwise it might have been a little easier and they had to come a little faster. However, all credits to the group and I am really incredibly proud of them. They did it today and I'm very happy about that."
Club, meanwhile, is experiencing a small metamorphosis under interim coach Hayen. "I am a part of a great staff and you have seen that in the fun that everyone radiates. Everyone has and takes responsibility and then you see that you can achieve a lot. If you can also show that confidence from the staff to the group and they can sympathize on that cloud, then you really have a synergy between staff and players, but also between supporters. Then you are currently in a very good flow and I also think we should enjoy that tonight, but Sunday we have another very important match ahead of us. So let us enjoy tonight in moderation and from tomorrow immediately shift that focus to Sunday," concluded a sober and satisfied coach Hayen. (TM)