In the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League that ended in the early hours of yesterday morning, England successfully advanced to the quarterfinals with a 5-3 victory over Switzerland through a penalty shootout. After the match, England defender Luke Shaw was interviewed by The Athletic, where he talked about his recovery from injury and his expectations for future matches.
On his fitness, Luke Shaw said, "Yes, of course I think I can start, but it's ultimately up to coach Southgate's decision. I feel I'm fit and ready to play now." He revealed that the past four months have been a tough rehabilitation process and was expected to make an early comeback, but suffered a number of setbacks. However, he has now overcome them and is back in action.
Recalling his experience in the last game, Luke Shaw couldn't hide his excitement: "It was great to get on the pitch that night, I've been desperate for playing time for a long time. It was great to get some playing time and now I hope to get more playing time in the next game."
On the experience of only being able to watch from the bench for the previous few games, Luke Shaw said it was both strange and difficult: "It's really difficult to be able to go and watch the game and feel the atmosphere but not be able to put the shirt on or be involved in anything. But it motivates me even more to keep working hard and doing everything I can to make sure I can come back and feel the atmosphere of the game." He admits that he is motivated to help England and get back into the game and believes that the team has a good chance of going far in the tournament.
Looking ahead, Luke Shaw said, "It's important for me in order to get back fit and help the team. I hope I can get another chance to repay Coach Southgate's trust. I believe that as long as I stay fit and continue to work hard, I will be able to contribute more to the team in the upcoming games."
