Five more games, then the season is over. Willem II is entering the final phase as the last. But with captain Pol Llonch fit again in the selection. The midfielder is ready to go full with the Tilburg club for a small miracle, maintenance in the Eredivisie.
In the games against Feyenoord and Go Ahead Eagles, Llonch got some minutes in the final phase after not playing for five games. He will be back for the match against Vitesse. “One hundred percent. It’s the most annoying thing about football, being injured. Especially in moments like this. But you have to accept it and work hard to come back as soon as possible. Fortunately, I am now.”
The fact that he had to watch while his teammates struggled on the field did something to Llonch. “But that period is over. Now I can help out on the field again, I’m looking forward to playing again.”
The Spaniard radiates confidence when he talks about the upcoming duels, concerns do not seem to be immediately present. “Worry, that’s not the right word. Of course these are the most important weeks of the season, especially because of the situation. But I’m really focusing on the moment. I have big, big, big motivation to play these last five games. We need to turn ‘worry’ into motivation and belief. That’s the only way. There’s no time for excuses, negative feelings or frustrations. The only way to reach our goal is to stick together, stay positive and believe until the last moment.”
“We are in our own hands, we are not dependent on other teams.”
Llonch understands there are concerns among fans. Especially now that Willem II is last in the final phase of the season. That ranking means little to the captain of the Tricolores. “I don’t want to think about the score. We have it in our own hands. We are not dependent on other teams, it depends on us. It can’t get any worse now, we can only look up. We now have to be in the last one ourselves five games to score points.”
Llonch is honest, he knows that ranking is important and that almost everyone is looking at it now. “And then you see Willem II standing there, which is painful. But really, our focus is on the next five games. If we get our points, it will be good this season.”
“In recent weeks there has been a lot of frustration around the club, now is the time to change that.”
Sometimes with a smile, sometimes very seriously. But it is clear that the confidence and conviction with Llonch is absolutely genuine. “What else can I do? If I’m negative now, don’t even try. I want to do everything in our power to do it. The team knows, we’ve talked about it. I think we’re ready. “The last few weeks there has been a lot of frustration around the club and in the city. Now is the time to change that. Everyone has to understand that we have five games left and we are not dead yet, we are going to try to the end.”
The first chance for points is on Sunday afternoon, at home against Vitesse. In a nearly sold-out stadium. “Since I’ve been here, the supporters have always stood behind us, they helped us. I don’t think it will be any different on Sunday. I am counting on them as the twelfth man, they are going to give us good energy,” said Llonch, who, like the other players in the mirror over the past few weeks. There has been talk, but that is now finished. “Everyone realizes what situation we are in. The time for talking is over. We have to show it on the field!”
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