“These are them,” Nieuwkoop begins about yesterday’s match. He continues: ‘I have just calmed down again, these are the competitions you do it for. Incredible result.’ There is a lot of celebration in the dressing room, the defender says: ‘Rightly so, I don’t think anyone expected what we achieved today. I think it was a fantastic collaboration with the audience, everyone fought hard.’
Smiling broadly, Nieuwkoop says that he felt like an Italian because the team defended so hard and passionately: ‘I saw boys defend, we defended everything together. Everyone hyped each other up when we had a block, for example. A real team effort.’ The more difficult the match seems, the more magical it becomes in the Champions League: ‘It is difficult to explain, but we all got up. Proud of the boys.’
Hard work
Feyenoord could not be dominant: ‘We often encounter opponents in the Eredivisie who dig in, today we were that team. Apparently we have a lot of qualities to do that, also at the front. The guys up front are so efficient. You need that and then faith comes. We’ll work our ass off.’
Morality
Nieuwkoop believes that there is really something special in the group: ‘We give away too many points in the Eredivisie, but we all compete together. I think today is indicative of how we are approaching it. We need to show this more often.’ The team’s morale increases: ‘Today was perhaps the best.’
-About himself he says: ‘I love these competitions. Matches in which I enjoy defending, in which everyone is involved. Justin Bijlow who takes great balls. You just give each other energy. I do my best and I am satisfied.’
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