Calvin Stengs is reaping the rewards of his hard work. The new addition took some time to settle in at Feyenoord, but is now more than repaying the trust of Arne Slot.
"I didn't feel a hundred percent fit in the beginning," he told VI, "and that's not surprising. I hadn't played as much as the other guys. The start of the season was indeed rough, even for me. The only thing you can do in such a situation is work extremely hard, and only then does your quality shine through. That's what I did. Now, I'm pulling off more successful moves, my final pass is on point, and I'm getting in front of the goal more often than before. When your first move works, you're immediately in the flow. That's what happened against Atlético Madrid and also against Lazio."
The fact that he's now creating the most chances in the Champions League of all players is a confirmation of his development. For Calvin Stengs, it's not a surprise. "I know I can contribute a lot," he said, "but to do that, you need minutes first and then rhythm. I have that now. Physically and in terms of football skills, I feel much stronger than I used to be. Especially in terms of physique, I've grown. Now, the key is to maintain and improve this level."
Stengs continues, "I don't mind what position I play. In the Eredivisie, I played a lot as an attacking midfielder, and in the last two Champions League matches, I was a right winger. That, to me, doesn't mean I can't play as a number 10 at that level, as I did against Celtic. I play where the coach needs me and try to make my game effective wherever I am."
