Danjuma spoke exclusively with MARCA of his day to day at Villarreal, what it is like to be surrounded by experienced players, the possibilities in the Champions League and what it would mean for him to play the 2022 World Cup.
Villarreal signed Arnaut Danjuma last summer in exchange for €25 million, and since then the Dutch international has put in an impressive performance in the Yellow Submarine. Four of his 12 goals came in the Champions League group stage, a competition in which the 25-year-old has excelled. His performances contributed to Villarreal finishing second in the Group Fbehind Manchester United, which allowed him to go to the round of 16.
However, in late November, an ankle injury ended his impressive form and sidelined him for two months, until February. He now wants to make up for lost time by guiding Villarreal to victory against Juventus in the Champions League round of 16, after scoring a hat-trick against Granada this saturday
How have you adapted to Spain and how are you enjoying your surroundings?
So far very good. I have come from England to Spain, so I cannot complain about the weather. I really like being in Spain. LaLiga is a very good competition for me and I like to play in it. The club has behaved very well with me. My colleagues and Unai Emery have also helped me a lot from the beginning, so I can’t complain about anything. Also, I’m getting goals and assists.
I have put a lot of pressure on myself because the club has invested a lot of money in me, which means that I need to perform constantly
Did you feel a certain pressure to give a change of direction when you arrived at Villarreal?
I did not feel much pressure because my colleagues and Unai made me feel at home very quickly, they gave me a warm welcome. That meant that I didn’t need much time to adapt, really. The club owners and everyone at Villarreal did what was necessary. On the contrary, I have always put a lot of pressure on myself because the club has invested a lot of money in me, which creates a situation where I need to perform constantly. I always want to win and give my best.
The Villarreal fans have welcomed you very well since you arrived because of your explosive style, what does it mean to you that they cheer you on?
It means a lot. When you arrive at a new club you have to get to know the fans and they also have to get to know you. That’s why it’s great to be warmly welcomed into the club, not only off the pitch, but also in the stadium, and we can feel their energy. Although we don’t have the biggest stadium in LaLiga, you can tell we have a twelfth man on the pitch with the fans.
In the Champions League, Villarreal will face Juventus, a very important game for the club and for you. How do you feel about this meeting?
I am very excited about the Champions League match. We won the Europa League last year and competing in the Champions League is a great achievement for the club. They told me that they wanted to compete in the Champions League this year, so yeah, so far so good. To be honest, the coach [Unai Emery] He has also focused on LaLiga after we lost points at the beginning of the season, so we are not only focused on the Champions League, LaLiga is also very important for us.
What do you think it takes to beat Juventus in two legs?
Good question, I think Unai could answer better! We will do what we always do and what we have done in the Champions League. Even when we played against bigger clubs than us, for example Manchester United at Old Trafford, we put in a good performance and had many chances. In my opinion, we should have won, but we lost. [2-1]. That performance was what is in our DNA, we always go out to win, to compete and with confidence.
The closer we get to our DNA, the more chances we have to win, it is important that we play in the same way against Juve
I think that is one of the things that Unai puts a lot of emphasis on: no matter who you play against, as long as you have your strategy and the confidence of your teammates, you can always achieve it, whether it is against a top team or against a lower one. So the closer we get to our DNA, the more chances we have to win, and I think it’s important that we play the same way against Juventus.
We like to have the ball and play a lot of football, we know that at some point in the game we will have chances, we know the quality of our players and we know everyone’s movements. This is the most important thing, not to change our way of playing, not to get nervous. Although it is the next phase of the Champions League, we will not change who we are and give the best of ourselves.
So far this season in the Champions League, he has scored four goals in six games and is in top form. What does this competition have to bring out the best in you?
The Champions League is the best club competition in the world, so I think that’s something that helps to bring out the best in me: the higher the hurdle, the more you want to prove yourself. I can’t explain the feeling you get when you walk onto the pitch and hear the Champions League music, it gives you goosebumps. You know that the whole world is watching you and you want to act.
I can’t explain the feeling you get when you walk onto the pitch and hear the Champions League music, you get goosebumps.
There are only a certain number of Champions League games that you are going to play in your career, and with that in mind, those games become very important and you want to prove yourself. For me, at the moment, everything is going well, I am grateful for the moments I have had, but I am still not satisfied because I feel that I have a lot to do.
You are mainly a left winger, but sometimes in the Champions League you have played centrally, what do you think is your best position?
I think I’m better when I play a mix of the two positions. The starting eleven can be fictitious sometimes, for me it just depends on how Unai wants me to play in a certain game: I can play as a winger, as a striker or in the middle. I think that Unai really likes my qualities and my ability to play in more than one position. In training we work on many movements, either on the left or more as a striker.
Emery really likes my qualities and my ability to play more than one position.
My preference is to play on the left and have the freedom to go inside, I think it’s my best position. However, I know I can play as a striker with two up and on the wing in a 4-3-3. For modern players it is good to have all the qualities and play in different positions, because the higher the quality of the game, the more tools you need to win the match, especially as a modern winger.
MARCA readers would like to know, who is above you and de Ligt when you train together in the Dutch national team?
It is clear that Matthijs de Ligt is a good player, but I will make it difficult for him.
You’ve mentioned before how well Villarreal did last season to win the Europa League, how it helps to have players around you who know what it takes in knockout football and ultimately it could help Villarreal go win the Champions League this season?
I think the experience that the rest of the group have after winning the Europa League is huge because I think playing a tournament is different from playing in the league. The context is different, the matches are different, it is a two-leg tie.
Our captain, Ral Albiol, won a World Cup with Spain and you can see what his experience brings us on the pitch
That makes experience important, and it shows on the pitch as well, especially when you go to the next phase of the Champions League, you need players who know how it works and who have been through games like that. For example, our captain, Ral Albiol, won a World Cup with Spain and you can see what his experience brings us on the pitch. We also have a couple of other players who are like that and help you feel more comfortable in the game.
Winning the Champions League is obviously the goal, so I would never say it’s impossible, even if we are underdogs. I always look for greatness and that is our narrative and it is something that we want to achieve. So that’s our goal, we’ll do our best to win it.
Looking ahead to the World Cup in Qatar, how do you assess the chances of the Netherlands and how would you feel to be part of something special there?
Certain tournaments, certain moments and matches in your career are what you dreamed of as a child. Playing in the Champions League has always been one of my dreams, to have the opportunity to win it and have it next to your name when you retire is a dream. But the World Cup is completely different. I think any game you play for your country is different.
You have your whole country behind you, you play for a purpose, your family, your friends and the people of your country. I haven’t been to a World Cup yet, so I want to show that I have to be there and once we get there, that we have a good team and let the world take notice once again. The Netherlands will also improve over time, so I would say that we have a good chance of competing in the World Cup. You never know what can happen.
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