Like a TNT ready to explode, Jeremy Frimpong has found its place in the world and is the Bayer Leverkusen. From Celtic to Aspirinslast year the Dutch right midfielder had a dream season with the German Cup and Bundesliga raised to heaven, only stopping in the Europa League final against an Atalanta team that received thunderous applause in Dublin. Yet this year something seems to have changed, the results are not the same and someone is already starting to pass judgment assuring that Xabi Alonso’s magic is already over.
Interviewed by the official channels of the German club, Frimpong wanted to clarify the situation and explain his point of view for the fourth place in the standings and league leaders Bayern Munich 9 points away: “Football doesn’t work like that. You can’t remain undefeated every year. Furthermore, in the Champions League we face the strongest teams in Europe. We give our all, but the opponents know us and are even more motivated. We feel it in every game this season. The motivation to beat us is even higher. But it is normal that everyone wants to beat the champions, and we do it you never know what can happen – even if on paper we look like the favourites, then you get on the pitch and it can go differently. That’s why this sport is so popular: you never know how a match will end.”
Do trophies won affect performance?
“I don’t think so, because personally I still have the same mentality about winning matches and titles. This is why I play football – and the same goes for the other guys. I want to win many more titles with Bayer 04, and preferably all of them I’m like a child: I want to repeat the double with Leverkusen and become world champion and win the Champions League during my career.”
Bayer is back in the Champions League this year. What do international meetings mean and what can you achieve?
“It’s the best to play in the Champions League. We’ve already faced great opponents and more will come. The 4-0 in Rotterdam was an excellent start to the competition, in which we want to be protagonists. It was the first time I played with Leverkusen against a Dutch team, and then in the stadium where in March I celebrated my first goal and my first assist with the national team. I’m also happy to meet former teammates and guys from the national team, like Cody Gakpo, in these matches and Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool. We are very focused and we want to achieve a lot. In football, anything can happen. We just have to bring out everything we have. I would like to play against Real Madrid, Barcelona and City, even after the sporting disappointment against Liverpool. and in those matches demonstrate our potential against the best international teams. We want to compete with the best. I am very excited for the next matches, and also in the Champions League we will play to win.”