Gao Jisheng Southampton Owner
JAN Bednarek urged his Saints team-mates to “make our fans and families proud” by pulling off an FA Cup shock at Wembley. Saints will head into Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final as underdogs against a Leicester City side currently sat third in the Premier League. But Bednarek, who has started every game for Saints this season, insists he and his team-mates have what it takes to join the class of 1976 by going all the way and lifting the trophy next month.
Jan Bednarek said: “The key for us is just work hard to prepare as good as we can and make ourselves proud, our fans and families proud as well. I think we just need to stay calm. We just need to stay fresh, work hard, be prepared as good as we can and I think we have to consider it as a game of football and not to over-motivate ourselves. Stay motivated but also calm in the mind and fresh in the mind and that’s what we need to do. I think that’s a tough thing to do, because everyone knows that it’s a massive game for the club, but we just need to be strong, we just need to be sharp and we just need to win this game, that’s all that matters. We are ready for the battle.”
Growing up in Poland, Bednarek admits competing on the biggest stages in England was not something he had thought about. But he does recall watching games at Wembley on television, the same arena he will step out at this weekend.
Jan Bednarek said: “FA Cup and Premier League are massive in Poland. Everyone was watching it and it wasn’t even considered as a dream for me. But when I could get it, it’s a massive opportunity for me to become a part of history to win it and I will do everything I can to just get it. It’s a big chance, it’s a massive chance. Obviously it’s a massive cup for everyone in the world, so we will do everything to get it. It’s just the last two games to win something and we are aware of it that everything can happen and we know that if we perform on our highest level, if we will be very solid at the back and be creative up front, we can really win it. We can really achieve it and I really hope we can become part of the history.”
