Neestrup: We were the best among tough opposition
F.C Copenhagen coach Jacob Neestrup says he can look back at the 2024/25 season with pride after his squad secured the Danish Superliga title with a 3-0 win over FC Nordsjælland on the last day of the season.
It has not been a straightforward campaign for the Lions, who also reached the UEFA CupA Conference League last-16 and face Silkeborg in the Danish Cup on Thursday.
But Neestrup is all praise for his squad, which has evolved as the season has unfolded.
“This is huge,” says Neestrup.
“We won because we have a squad with so many talented players, where everyone has managed to put their individual egos aside when they couldn’t always play from the start or be in the squad, even though they were ready.
"That was also the first thing I said to the players when we gathered in the locker room.
“We have a broad squad and there have been periods when we have been lacking a lot, but also periods when we had to make some difficult choices and omissions, when a decision on the team had to be made.
"But regardless of who hasn’t played and for what reason, everyone has shown up every day and has only focused on contributing to winning the Danish championship, and I see that as the biggest factor.
“The pressure has been enormous on the players, on my staff, on me and my sporting director, and I am so happy that we are standing here today. Last season we lost a Danish championship at the very end and went into the new season and chose to make a massive change in the team, even though we knew that everything would not work from day one.
“But after the transfer window closed, we have shown that we were the best in a tough competition with such a strong opponent as FC Midtjylland.
“We have always believed that we could develop this group, and we have succeeded in doing so over a long season, where we also made it to the group stage and reached the 1/8 finals of a European competition, and where we are also in the cup final.
"The fact we are standing here today with another championship, it simply makes me so happy on behalf of everyone."