In the exciting Community Shield final on Saturday night, Manchester City narrowly beat Manchester United 7-6 on penalties to win the first title of the season. After the match, Manchester City defender Akanji was interviewed by the club's officials, sharing his deep feelings about the match and his outlook for the new season.
Akanji could not hide his inner joy as he said, "We dominated this game and to win our first trophy of the season is a huge boost for our whole team. This is my first Community Shield experience and I couldn't be happier to win it with the team."
He admits how tough the game was: "It was by no means an easy match, especially in the final stages of the game when it went to penalties, the tension was suffocating. But it's challenges like these that make us more united and determined. I'm sure this win will set us up for a good start to the new season."
Regarding the team's overall performance, Akanji was both positive and expectant: "Looking at tonight's performance, we have a lot to be proud of, but equally there is room for improvement. We know that we will meet more powerful opponents in the coming matches, and we must always stay alert and keep improving ourselves."
He singled out the competitive nature and uncertainty of the game: "This game proved what soccer is all about, that at any moment a turnaround can happen. We knew that we had to remain calm and focused, both when we were controlling the pace of the game and when our opponents were on a roll. In the end, the 1-1 draw was a bit unfortunate but a fair result."
In addition, Akanji spoke about working with his young teammates: "For various reasons, I didn't have much time to train with the young players in the team in pre-season, just four days. But I was impressed by their performance tonight, and their energy and potential has me looking forward to the future. I believe that as the season progresses, we will get even better acquainted and work together to create more glory for the team."
Looking ahead, Akanji is confident: "It's a brand new season and we have clear goals and strong beliefs. I believe that as long as we remain united, hardworking and focused, we will be able to overcome all difficulties and realize our dreams. Let's work together to win more honors for Manchester City!"
