Neestrup: We need strength vs Dortmund
Jacob Neestrup says a resolute team performance is needed if F.C. Copenhagen are to secure a win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening.
The Lions head into tonight's fixture in Parken having lost at Silkeborg last Friday.
We earned a 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen in the last home Champions League game – and Neestrup expects another competitive night in Denmark's national stadium.
"A top team awaits us, who have had a good start in the Bundesliga," he says. "A German team that press high and aggressively, are good man-to-man, and are well set up.
"They have some really talented offensive players and are good at both breakthrough play and transitions. They have passing play, they take long shots, they have their combination play, so they're quite a difficult team to analyse because there are many things that need to be shut down.
"If we are to succeed tomorrow, we must be strong together on the ball, when we have our periods."
When F.C. Copenhagen qualified for the League Phase of this season's Champions League, the ambition was to be among the top 24 clubs to advance to the knockouts.
This remains the aim ambition, but not a theme in relation to the current situation at the club, says Neestrup.
“I don’t look at the line with the top 24, I have to admit that honestly," he says. "If we win tomorrow, that’s great, and we’ll take it from there. But for me it’s about the whole thing now, and that’s to get this F.C. Copenhagen team back on track, where we need to be.
“Among those who are not in the squad, there are obviously some who are injured, but there are also some who could have played (tomorrow). But we choose not to take that chance, because then hopefully two or three on the list will be ready for the match on Sunday.
“We fully acknowledge that all the criticism we are currently receiving is completely justified, because there have been too many poor results and performances, which have cost us dearly.
“But now a European night awaits in the world’s biggest club tournament. And when we are short of players, there are others who must show that they are ready to seize their chance or at least do their best.”
One player Neestrup was asked about in his press conference was Viktor Dadason, who had a strong outing on Friday in Silkeborg.
“It' clear that if he comes on the pitch tomorrow, there will be some question marks because it's his first Champions League match. But we have seen young players come in and perform well even in such games," says Neestrup.
“The important thing in relation to Viktor is that he is a completely different type of player than Elyounoussi, Moukoko, Claesson, and Jordan. He is the one who most resembles a box striker, and therefore I think that we have an obligation right now in the coaching team to bring him in, because I believe that there is a possibility that he can give us the tool for the rest of 2025, when we may need his skills.
"And besides that, I think that he is a skilled and exciting player with a great future in F.C. Copenhagen."
Another player with particular focus is Youssoufa Moukoko, who knows Dortmund well from his years at the club. So what considerations does Neestrup have about him in relation to the match?
"Not so many in relation to whether it is Dortmund we are facing, but the same considerations as when we faced Leverkusen," he says. "He is a player who is used to playing against opponents who play in the way that Dortmund and Leverkusen do.
"Of course there are also some consideration to the tactical aspects and the players that are available, and also in relation to our general performance."