“I’m delighted about every minute I play” | OneFootball

Aurèle Amenda on his status as a first-team regular, his potential for development, defending from the front and the upcoming game in Mainz.

Aurèle Amenda on …

… being a regular starter in recent weeks: “The last few weeks have been very good for me, and for the whole team as well. Keeping clean sheets does wonders for your confidence. I’m happy to take the games that come my way. I try to give my best in every match so that I can help the team. I’m delighted about every minute I’m on the pitch.”

… defensive work: “Under Albert Riera, we’ve been focusing a lot on man-marking at the back. Every player has their job to do, and you can see that we’ve become a lot more stable in defence. We don’t give away many chances, and we want to keep it that way. Our coach always says that our strikers are the first defenders, which shows just how much of a unit the team is.” 

… his potential for development: “I’ve developed a lot in terms of my mental strength. And with every minute you play on the pitch, you gain confidence in football. I’ve suffered a lot of injuries, and mental recovery is a big part of that. I can still improve in every area, such as getting involved in our build-up play on the ball. I also want to get better when we don’t have possession. I need to trust myself more on the ball, and read the game better when I’m off the ball. And I’d like to score a goal at some point!”

… his call-up to the Swiss national team: “I’m really looking forward to playing against Nene Brown next week, I think it’ll be a good game against Germany. I’m happy to be involved. It’s a huge dream for me. I’ll give it my all, train hard and play in a way that means I’m part of the World Cup squad in the summer.” … upcoming opponents: “I’m aware that Mainz play with incredible intensity and that they’re really strong in the duels. But we’re very well prepared for the game. Mainz focus a lot on counterattacks and set pieces, so we’ve been working on those areas. I think the game on Sunday will be a tough one with a lot of one-on-ones.”