Simon Mignolet the day before Fiorentina clash: “Extra motivation that we can become legends of Club Brugge”

The whole of Club Brugge hopes to open the gate to the final of the Conference League tomorrow. Coach Nicky Hayen is counting on a hungry and eager group of players and a witchcraft from the fans, goalkeeper Simon Mignolet warns with all his experience: “We must not get frustrated, because they will want to use all their tricks to gain time.”

Simon Mignolet is the most experienced man at Club Brugge. He won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2019. At 36, he has a lot of advice for his younger teammates on the eve of a historic appointment.

“Initially you have to focus on the normal things, the things you do every day. I must honestly say that until now the feeling and atmosphere in the dressing room was not that people were busy with other things. People were not busy with the semi-final of the Conference League, but with the next match.”

“If you are in that flow, you just have to continue with it. Closer to the match there will be a bit more stress. Then it is important to use the experienced boys to bring everyone down to earth. You have to do the things you do every game.”

“We have also done that in recent weeks to achieve results. That will be no different tomorrow. But it could be more difficult tomorrow than in any other match.”

You have to do the things you always do. Closer to the match there will be a bit more stress. Then it is important to use the experienced guys to keep everyone’s feet on the ground.

Simon Mignolet

Because there is a lot at stake: it has been since 1993 in Antwerp that a Belgian team played a European final, since 1978 since Club did so. Two years earlier, Club also reached the European final. The photos of those teams decorate the BaseCamp.

“It is an incredible opportunity to be in that list as a group of players. Those players are legends of the football club. That must be an extra motivation. The fact that we can seize that opportunity is something positive for everyone.”

“It would be a great achievement. We already had a very nice European course, but that means nothing.”

“This match is very high on my list of achievements, I have already swam through some waters, but you still do it for such matches. This is what you work for every day. I am happy that I have that opportunity. Not just for the Bruges fans , but for Belgian football.”

Italians are of course lazy, Fiorentina defends a 3-2 lead from the home match. The senior warns his fellow mates: “The longer the match runs, the more they will use their lead to paralyze the match as much as possible.”

“They will use all tricks to gain time and irritate us. Not only the dressing room, but also the fans should not get frustrated. If they shoot the ball outside, or if they stay on the ground… That will be part of it.” to belong.”

“We’ll see how much they want to play it that way. It’s up to us to play football and respond to that.”

“I’m not so concerned with how the match will go, but I am concerned with how efficient we are: we have to score twice and keep things closed.”