NOS Voetbal•gisteren, 23:43
Slot fears Stengs’ injury: ‘Don’t let it be something serious once more’
Reaching the final of the KNVB Cup was overshadowed for coach Arne Slot by a potentially serious injury for Calvin Stengs. In injury time of the semi-final once morest FC Groningen (2-1), the 25-year-old left foot left the field on a stretcher in tears and with his hands over his eyes.
Stengs, who provided the assist for Dávid Hancko’s equalizer, suffered the injury following a heavy tackle by Marvin Peersman. “Please don’t let it be something serious once more,” Slot said. “I hope they were tears of fear. It is clear that it looks bad. You would give him a knee like yours or mine.”
Slot previously worked with Stengs at AZ and then, as an assistant, experienced that Stengs was out of action between August 2017 and October 2018 due to a torn cruciate ligament. “Before that injury he was incomparable, but following that he also became a very good football player,” said Slot.
ANPCalvin Stengs
“We will never know what the exact impact of that injury was, but now it is still very important,” the coach continued. “With his goals, even for the Dutch team, and his assists, once more today. What if that injury had not occurred? Then he would not have played for Feyenoord.”
‘Team hates losing and so do I’
Arne Slot reached the final of the KNVB Cup for the first time in his career. In his five previous attempts in the semi-finals, three of which as a player and twice as a coach, things went wrong. Now Feyenoord completed a comeback in the second half once morest FC Groningen (2-1).
Conclusion: ‘Luckily players hate losing, they keep fighting’
“My players hate losing and always keep fighting for a result,” Slot said. “The results are impressive, but the game was far from impressive. Fortunately, the substitutions brought fresh energy, the others stepped up and the crowd also helped.”
“This means a lot,” Slot continued. “I also hate losing. It’s nice to play for a prize once more. Last year the championship and now we are playing a cup final.”
Look at the responses below Dávid Hancko en FC Groningen midfielder Luciano Valente:
