Elijah, the team is getting ready to take on Real Madrid in the Youth League semi-final. What does this match mean to you?
‘Perhaps that’s why we all started playing football in the first place – to play matches like this, in competitions like this. Paris v Real Madrid – I think it’s a dream for a lot of people, and to have the chance to play in a match like this is a real source of pride.’
You were the one who scored the winning goal against Villarreal in the previous round. How did you feel at that moment?
“When I scored, I think, like everyone else, I was happy. I was happy for myself, and also happy for the team. But I can't say it was me who got the team through, because if you take away, for example, our goalkeeper's penalty save, it might not have been the same match if the Villarreal player had scored just after that as well. We were solid defensively; we did it as a team. I don’t think I could say that I was the one who got the team through. Of course, that goal did us good, but it was a team effort at the back. For me, it’s the standout match of the season.”
It was an away game, and the Final Four will also be a long way from the Campus. How different is playing these matches away from home?
“I think the only difference lies in the preparation, particularly when it comes to travelling. We’re used to training on our own pitches, and when we go to our opponents’ grounds, we don’t necessarily know what the pitches will be like. But I think we’ll be in a good stadium, so it won’t necessarily affect our preparation or our game.”
In your opinion, what is this team’s strength in this Youth League campaign?
“I think our strength lies in our mentality, in our team spirit. We’re all determined to support one another. We stick together; we’re a close-knit group of friends. We’re like brothers. If one of us falls, another will be there to help him up. I think that’s what makes us so strong in this competition today.”
Finally, how would you describe your current role within the squad?
“I think I have my own little contribution to make in attack, whether it’s in taking on defenders out of the game or creating space. Getting the ball to my teammates, being able to score goals. I’m a forward, so that’s quite important; we saw that in the match against Villarreal. And as the standard of the matches continues to rise, we won’t get hundreds of chances. It’s tough, but when the ball comes our way, we have to be clinical. If we manage to do that – me and the other strikers – it’s bound to be a real boost for the team.”