Maxim De Cuyper scores a nice goal, but does not go free when conceding goals: “I should have handled that ball better, absolutely”

He played a role in all the goals, but not always the role he wanted. Maxim De Cuyper, creator of the best free-kick goal in a long time, but also partly responsible for the Italian goals conceded. “I should have handled that ball better.”

Today at 11:46 PM

It was crucial, the 2-1, before half time. A rehearsed song, it seemed, that free kick that Maxim De Cuyper put into the corner with his left. None of it. It turned out to be an inspiration of the moment. “No, we had not trained for it,” said Leandro Trossard. “It was Maxim De Cuyper who suggested doing it this way,” Youri Tielemans indicated.

Yes, said the goalscorer. “We saw that there was room to do that. Their line was quite low. I had that action in my head and they executed it perfectly. Youri plays perfectly on Leandro, who lays it off perfectly.” The roar that followed spoke volumes. “A cry of release,” De Cuyper admitted.

Because with both goals conceded, Club Brugge’s left back was in trouble. Especially on the first, after exactly a minute, from Cambiaso, De Cuyper could have cleared the ball. “Dimarco comes through on the left and I felt that he was going to put the ball behind it. It was a tight ball and my position is not that bad. But I should have handled that ball better. Absolute.”

For the second Italian goal, the 23-year-old defender kept a little too much distance with Cambiaso again. With that second goal there was of course a boulevard for Cambiaso. “It’s not simple. I guess I’m not doing that bad. I close my legs to cover the first zone. Koen Casteels also takes that ball well. I felt more responsibility with that first goal than with the second.”

In any case, De Cuyper regretted the goals conceded. “The intention was to start well, that was really the focus. But that wasn’t the case. Shame. We could have done better, by not putting pressure too quickly and letting them come more. After that it got better.”

Well-cut corner

De Cuyper had his share in the fact that the Belgians ultimately managed to get one point out of the fire. Because the corner that was pushed into goal by Trossard via Faes came from? Right, De Cuyper. “The intention was also to put balls in the second zone, because they were a little weaker there. Most corners also came there.”

And he concluded: “Would we have done as much without a red card? We’ll never know, but I think so. I am a positive person. That is why I think we have won a point here. You sign for this in advance.”