Maxim De Cuyper: “Deserved victory“
It had been since the city derby against Cercle Brugge that Club Brugge won a home match. And it was against their archrival Anderlecht that the reigning champions finally managed to secure three points at home, although Maxim De Cuyper had to clear a ball off the line in the final moments: "It's unbelievable that we almost conceded the equalizer in the last minute, but luckily, I was just in time to clear the danger off the goal line. After the 2-1, you just know they’re going to get one last chance, but really, the game should have been over by then," said the full-back right after the game. "An equalizer would have been completely undeserved because we played an outstanding game today. The only thing is, we should have scored more and put the game to bed. We were constantly in control, and especially in the first half, we didn’t give anything away and completely dictated the game. From the opening minute, we put a lot of pressure on them, which earned us an early lead. I think there’s nothing to criticize about our performance today, aside from efficiency — it was really good. This victory is absolutely deserved." (MV)
Ardon JashariI: “I'm feeling well here“
Deep into extra time, Ardon Jashari was substituted off with a standing ovation, which visibly meant a lot to the young Swiss international: "I can’t deny that the support from the fans feels good, especially since I initially needed some time to adapt to a new environment and playing style," said the midfielder. "I was welcomed warmly, I get a lot of confidence from the coaching staff and the other players, and I feel good here. But ultimately, you have to earn your spot in the starting eleven yourself. The competition is tough, but I try to prove myself on the field rather than talking much about it."
Jashari also shared his clear view on the game: "We prepared well for this match, and we showed a lot of quality both with and especially without the ball within our team. We played a strong game, and if we can reach this level consistently, we’ll be very hard to beat. However, it’s clear we need to score more, so we have to keep working on our efficiency. If we had won 4-0 today, no one would have called it an excessive score. I tried to score twice myself, but I’m still waiting for my first goal for my new club and fans—I want to make them proud." (MV)
Simon Mignolet: “Finishing chances is the story of the season”
Being dominant but still nervously holding on at the end — Simon Mignolet could relate to this analysis.
"I think we were the deserved winners of this top match, but we need to make it easier for ourselves. I think we played a very dominant game with a lot of chances. We had to wait a bit too long for that second goal, and we need to handle that smarter. Anderlecht scored the 2-1 in the end. You know they’ll come at you by throwing everything into the box. Right then, they score, and it gets nerve-wracking until the final whistle. Luckily, it stayed 2-1, and we finally got what we deserved, namely the three points."
"Finishing chances is basically the story of our entire season. We have to keep working as we did today, play collectively, and eventually, there will be a time when we start finishing those chances. Securing six points out of six is satisfying, and especially this win against the so-called archrival means a lot to our fans, making it a special afternoon for them. It is nice that our youngest players scored today but they also work very hard defensively, and it’s great to see them growing, something that will only make Club stronger." (FDC)
Romeo Vermant: “A dream come true”
How would you feel if you scored for the first time in the first team, and against Anderlecht? That was the experience of Romeo Vermant this afternoon.
"I’m convinced I’m currently the happiest man walking around here," were the first words of the Bruges youngster. "This was the moment I’d been waiting for a long time. To score here at Jan Breydel and against Anderlecht is a dream come true. I couldn’t have picked a better moment, which is why I got a bit emotional. All those efforts, all those sacrifices, all that training… that goal makes it all worth it. My dad (Sven Vermant) also scored a few times against Anderlecht, so it’s extra special that I could do the same. Last night we even said that it should happen, and well… it did. I hope the floodgates are open now, and I can score a few more in the future. Despite our dominance, we ended up in trouble at the end, which shouldn’t happen. We played a great match but keep failing to reward ourselves by closing out the game with more goals. This remains a point we need to work on." (FDC)
Nicky Hayen: “Very proud of Club's youth development”
Nicky Hayen saw how his team secured a well-deserved three points against Anderlecht, though the Blues barely held on in the final moments. "We played a very good match. We wanted to show them right from the start that we weren’t going to let them get into the game. They have a team with players who can make a difference individually. We handled that well, created a lot of chances, and we should have been up by more than 1-0 at halftime. During the break, I told my players to keep doing what they were doing. Unfortunately, Tzolis’ second goal was disallowed, but the players responded well. We eventually got that second goal, but instead of 3-0, it became tense again. It would have been very harsh and undeserved to drop points here, but it’s clear we need to reward ourselves more. I’m very happy with how we played. The tense ending leaves a bit of a sour taste, but that shouldn’t overshadow all the good. This has happened before, where we concede late and put ourselves in trouble, so we need to keep working on that."
The Bruges coach preferred Romeo Vermant at center-forward, and he certainly didn’t disappoint. The young striker played an outstanding game and scored his first goal for the Blues. "Romeo brings a lot of dynamism to his game. That first goal was no accident. We always try to press high, and Simić wasn’t expecting it, allowing us to capitalize. Romeo has grown enormously as a striker over the years. He’s become much stronger on the ball and combines that with a good finishing touch. Kudos also to the other youngsters. Vermant and Talbi both scored, and the other young players played very well too. I’m very proud of Club’s youth development." (SF)