Blue-Black qualifies for the League Phase of the Champions League after a brilliant 6–0 victory against Rangers FC! Read here the reactions of Seys, Vanaken, Tresoldi, Stankovic, and Hayen after the match.
Nicolò Tresoldi: "Happy that I can help the team with my goal"
The first goal for Nicolò Tresoldi is a fact. It was tonight’s opener and an important one. “The most important thing for me was winning. That became a lot easier after the red card. If I can help the team with a goal, that makes me happy. That’s my thing, scoring headers.” Tresoldi not only scored, but also delivered an assist: “For Tzolis’ goal I touched the ball with my heel. I had never done that before, but it worked out well and he finished it beautifully.”
The German is already shifting his focus to the next game. “It was an incredible team performance, but on Sunday we have another important match. That’s where our focus has to go now.” He is also looking forward to tomorrow’s Champions League draw: “Every team is good. I have no preference for the draw. I’m just really looking forward to it.”
Joaquin Seys: "It's a dream to play at Real Madrid"
Joaquin Seys was the match-winner with two goals and a rock-solid performance. He could not hide his satisfaction afterwards: “I’m very happy. It was a beautiful evening, easier than expected. We can be proud and happy with this qualification.”
Asked if it was his best game with Club, he hesitated: “It’s hard to say if it was my best, but definitely one of the best halves we’ve ever played with Club. The first half, to be precise.”
Club’s wingbacks are allowed to push high up the pitch, and that paid off today: “Two goals with my right foot. I can’t complain. The goal from Sabbe’s cross makes me extra happy. I have a good connection with him, so I’m pleased with that one.”
Now his eyes are on the Champions League group stage. A favorite? “It has always been a dream to play at Real Madrid. Apart from that, I don’t mind who we draw. I just want us to have a strong campaign. That’s really our ambition this year—we want to have another great run, hopefully even better than last year.” Thanks to his strong performance, he also dreams of a national team call-up: “A call-up for the Red Devils would be a nice reward for my performances. Last season I proved I can play on both flanks, so it’s up to the coach.”
Hans Vanaken: "Salzburg and Rangers are no pushovers"
Captain Hans Vanaken was proud after the final whistle: “It’s great what we’ve achieved in the qualifiers. Salzburg and Rangers are not easy opponents. Doing this as a group is something to be proud of.”
Vanaken knows how important Sunday’s clash with KAA Gent is, but he wasn’t rushing ahead: “Yes, an important match is coming, that’s true. But we’re allowed to celebrate this a little longer first.”
Looking ahead to yet another draw, the captain wouldn’t mind some variety: “There are still teams we haven’t faced yet. It would be nice to draw a new one. Whatever happens, it’s great just to be in the Champions League again.” Though he admits he’d prefer to avoid a trip to Kazakhstan.
Aleksandar Stanković: “Exactly as the coach predicted”
Club once again made headlines in Europe with a 6–0 home win over Rangers. Aleksandar Stanković was one of the scorers.
“We were certainly on our guard,” said the Serbian after the match. “But it played out exactly as our coach predicted. Of course, the early red card made things easier, but we handled it well. After Tresoldi’s early goal, the tension eased, but we knew we couldn’t let Rangers back into it. We kept the ball moving quickly and that turned out to be the best tactic. At 5–0 by halftime, the game was as good as decided, but after the break we pushed a little more until 6–0 before easing off. I’m delighted with my first goal for Blue-Black. After just a few weeks, it already feels like I’ve joined a big football family, which has made my integration go smoothly. We should and must enjoy this big European win, but Sunday’s game against Gent will be another tough battle, so recovery is key.”
Nicky Hayen: “Players earned this perfect evening themselves”
Blue-Black were ruthless against Rangers, and coach Nicky Hayen was understandably very satisfied afterwards.
“I’m especially pleased with how we started the match,” he began. “We executed the plan we had in mind—high pressing and exploiting the space behind. The red card was a perfect example of that. From there, it unfolded exactly as we had hoped.”
It was nearly a flawless night for Club: “You could call it a perfect evening, but the players earned that themselves. We kept pushing the tempo and creating chances. The goals followed quickly, which gave us the chance to bring on several young players. All in all, a very successful evening.”
Blue-Black now prepares for the League Phase of the Champions League, where they will be in Pot 2. “For us, that doesn’t matter much, since every pot has two tough opponents. What matters is that we’re in it again—we had to get through four rounds to make it. It’s not always easy, as you see in the league, but we work hard every day, and nights like this show how much quality this squad has.”
The coach was also pleased with Tzolis’ late goal: “At halftime I told him he’d stay on a bit longer, so I was very happy he got his goal. I know how hard he works during the training sessions.”
How high can Club aim in the Champions League? “We must remain humble, but also ambitious. If we work hard every day, we’ll see where we end up. We’ll take it match by match, but of course we hope for many nights like this. I don’t have a preferred opponent—every match is tough but also exciting to prepare for.”
The coach also noticed the boost in confidence: “Of course this win gives us confidence. You could see many players playing with belief and moving the ball around beautifully. We want a group of 20 players pushing each other. That way I can rotate without losing quality. Many players want to showcase themselves, which is good for their careers and also for our level of play.”