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Florian Lejeune (now playing for Rayo Vallecano)


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  • 2 weeks later...

He's just RTed this (just hit translate on Chrome).

 

https://www.francefootball.fr/news/Florian-lejeune-newcastle-sans-mentir-c-est-un-truc-de-fou/862370

 

Florian Lejeune (Newcastle): "Without lying, it's a crazy thing"

 

Florian Lejeune discovers this season the Premier League with Newcastle. Despite an injury early in the year, the central defender has managed to win under the tunic of the Magpies, and returns for FF on his first six months in the north of England.

 

"Florian, after a successful season in Eibar (10th Liga), you land in the Premier League, how did you like the Newcastle project?

It was done very early, before the last matches of the season I received a call from Rafael Benitez, we exchanged a lot. I wanted to discover England but not in any club. Newcastle is a legendary club and can go with one of the best coaches in the world ... So my decision was quick.

 

Still, it was not too difficult to leave Spain after playing three full seasons?

When we make beautiful seasons, that on the collective and personal all went well, there is always a small pinch in the heart because I felt great in Eibar and Girona. After that it's a career, if you want to discover something else you have to move.

 

This Wednesday, you will face Manchester City, club to which you belonged a year (being lent to Girona). Did you think back to this episode before committing to Newcastle?

There was not a big story between City and me. I do not have much to say.

 

With your arrival, Newcastle became the most Francophile club in the history of the Premeir League (27 players), how was your integration?

It went very well, I was lucky to have a technical staff who speaks Spanish so it made my life easier. There are also some French players so it was quite simple: they can help you on everything you need in everyday life, both sporting and non-sporting. After in Spain, I managed without French players, it depends on the personality of the player. I am an open person who always has a smile, I do not hesitate to go to people, I ask. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, there's only that way we learn. After there may be the language barrier that can slow down a bit but now I'm able to get by at the level of English. So it's a good integration.

 

On the field, you suffered a sprained ankle after 34 minutes of play in the first day against Tottenham, how did you experience this false start?

It was a big blow. My arrival was great, I was pretty legged, I played all the preparation matches. For integration, it's important to be a licensee. These are the hazards of football, the convalescence was a little complicated. We treat ourselves by working alone with the physical trainer and we try to get back as soon as possible. I experienced it as a difficult time, but sometimes you have to go through it. I tried to take back directly, to go over the pain. I had been summoned for two games, Swansea and Stoke (mid-September, ed), but unfortunately the pain persisted so I had to stop a few days and after when the coach saw that I was 100%, I took over my job.

 

Did you manage to adapt to this more physical game with powerful attackers?

Often in England, the game starts are quite intense so if you are not physically ready, it's complicated. I am ready but I am still in the process of adaptation. It's a new Championship that I discover: it's a different game and the contacts are tougher too. I know that I have to work more on the physical and tactical aspects. There are very physical attackers who give you a lot of work, even though they may not be the best known in the world, like Burnley or Bournemouth. But they make a lot of calls and make me work a lot.

 

You then played twelve matches in full, what were your feelings?

I felt quickly in my place because I got used to playing again. The fact that the coach quickly put me back in the bath, it quickly gave me confidence. I chained the matches, even if we had a period a little complicated by what we had no results.

 

With only one win since your return (15th), what is missing from this promotion to compete?

It lacks a bit of everything: we have a fairly young team, most players have not experienced this Championship before, and success too. In some matches, at key moments, we have not been able to make a difference. In the last three games, we can do things that are more interesting, more supportive and more compact. We saw against West Ham (3-2), we managed to take the three points against a direct competitor.

 

Your coach Rafael Benitez recently said that you have to be patient about yourself, and that you are going to bring "something different", do you agree?

He knows my qualities, he knows what I can bring. I am a player who likes to bring out the ball, I can play with the left foot. He has more vision of the Spanish game with short passes, than want to play long each time. There are gestures that are less successful at first, even more when the team is not doing well. When one does not win, it is immediately the defense that is criticized, one must know how to accept. And after when the results come, we will be better. It's logic.

 

At the level of the public, what does it mean to go from the small stadium of Eibar (7,083 places) to Saint-James' Park?

Without lying, it's crazy. As soon as you return to the field, 52,000 people who shout, sing ... It's really impressive. When I signed, I saw the stadium but I really realized it in the first match. The matches are still sold out and travel is 2,500, 3,000 people. It's a city that only lives for football.

 

As we approach the end of the year, what can we wish you for 2018?

That we manage to stay as quickly as possible in the Premier League and that I can impose myself here. Quite simply."

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  • 1 month later...

Considering he's been out for 10 matches, thought he was very good today, assured and was mostly able to handle Lukaku's strength. Think playing alongside Lascelles/Dummett helps massively too.

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