Mathieu Maertens can call himself a footballer again. He replaced Ikwuemesi at the end of the match against Beerschot. The battle was on for the match winner, but certainly also for crowd favorite Maertens.
Maertens does have experience in fighting back from injuries and is satisfied that he has successfully completed this process again. “Yes, anyway. I am satisfied that I could be back on the field,” says the man who dropped out against Antwerp in October with a hamstring injury. “It always takes a while for a hamstring tear to heal. I’m glad I’m back and can start another year.”
Maertens is more concerned about his comeback than during the holidays. “I’m going to celebrate New Year’s Eve quietly. The group is taking a break, but I will continue training individually, because I still have a backlog. Ewoud Pletinckx and Thibaut Vlietinck are also in that situation. I will also receive an individual program to complete at home. Now it’s time to get into match rhythm. I have only trained with the group twice.”
Maertens happy with support from supporters
Nevertheless, he made an appearance against Beerschot in the penultimate minute. “I had agreed with the coach that I would play a maximum of ten or fifteen minutes. I am happy that I was allowed to substitute. This is good and gives me a boost. The supporters then chant your name. That does something to a person. “That was a good moment for me to get back on the field, even if it wasn’t for long.”
The way he tells it makes it clear that it means a lot to him. “Mathieu is a big personality,” coach Chris Coleman praises his player. “Maybe I put him on the bench a week earlier than expected, but sometimes you have to take a chance. I thought we might need his experience and game intelligence in the last ten minutes. It’s a victory in itself to have him back on the bench.” to see the field.”
A boost for Maertens and for OHL
Maertens thinks so too. “Being sidelined for two months is not pleasant. I am back earlier than they expected. The previous coach, Oscar Garcia, also communicated it incorrectly when he said that I would be out for a month. With that injury it was In any case, an absence of two months. The fact that I am now back is a boost.”
