EXCLUSIVE Mario Lemina for Mozzart Sport Kenya: It's crazy how unlucky we are
Reading Time: 4min | Sat. 17.04.21. | 11:01
The Gabonese midfielder talks to us about Fulham's awkward season, the relegation battle and tomorrow's clash against Arsenal
To establish yourself as a true master of the game, with as many as six stints in four different European leagues, and all that before the age of 28 - that must be some achievement. Not many players have that kind of CV like Mario Lemina.
The 27-year-old prolific Gabonese midfielder has enjoyed steady growth in his career with tons of jaw-dropping goals and assists for Marseille, Juventus and Southampton, among the others. He currently plays on a loan for Fulham's die-hard side, which displayed many stunning performances throughout the season but are on the brink of relegation.
In an exclusive interview for Mozzart Sport Kenya, Lemina is sincere when he says it's disturbing that Scot Parker's outfit is as close to the EFL Championship as it gets.
"It's hard to describe our season because if I had to do that, I would say we were unlucky, so unlucky. We don't deserve our current 18th position on the table. In the last few games, we played so well, and we don't deserve this kind of negative outcome. I still think we deserved to win, and maybe we should at least get a draw, but... It's frustrating because I know how we play every day, how hard we work and that we should have got more from those ties. That's why are we here at the moment".
"It's crazy. Honestly, I don't know what to say, like everything is against us. I don't understand; something is wrong because we don't deserve to be where we are now. That's my point of view," Libreville-born player is straightforward as ever.
With only six fixtures remaining - and three of them are against such giants like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United - the future doesn't seem too bright for the guys from Craven Cottage.
"We are going to give our best until the very end, that's for sure," adds Lemina:
"Fulham want to stay in this league, and I think we deserve that. If it's mathematically still possible, we're going to try... Our style of play fits more the games against those biggest teams, and we will try to play our game. If it works, it will be great for us; if not - we should move on and try to win the other fixtures. There are still six games to go."
The first on that Fulham's "death-row" are the Gunners, who will host Lemina and co. tomorrow at Emirates (22.00).
"That Arsenal tie will be a hard one, just like all the others. We need three points and nothing else."
For Lemina himself, it was an equally disturbing season, after many very successful in the past. France, Italy, Turkey, England... no matter the country, he found it easy to adapt and face new challenges. Until the injury struck...
"Honestly, when I left Juventus, I was pretty confident. It was a good move for me to show I can be a good player in the Premier League. I was feeling so well in my mind and body. So when I came to Southampton, I was doing so well until the significant injury", stresses out Lemina, whose path led further on to Fulham at the start of the 2020/2021 campaign:
"When I came, I was really struggling with my fitness. I had a lot of injuries and arm string. Sometimes you just want to arrive quicker than you should, and you just go up and down. I didn't show myself really well. But since January, I work hard to get fit as I planned, and it works with their help. I'm feeling really well, I can show myself in much better shape than before, and I think I can still improve. I'm still learning and trying to find my best form and football."
Albeit he earned several caps for France's youth teams, Lemina subsequently chose to play at the international stage for his native Gabon alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. When talking about his African heritage, his face gets overwhelmed with pure joy.
"It's essential, Gabon is everything for me. I was born there; I used to go every year there. It's my country. I want to give them back all that I got from Gabon. They really love me there, and I want to help the Gabonese national team, but I'm not the only one. We have a lot of great players, playing in the best leagues, like Aubameyang. And have to do our best. Our big dream is to reach the FIFA World Cup".
"I've seen some African national teams that are playing like some big European sides - Morroco and Algeria are doing so good. If they play against, for example, France, it's tough for Europeans. Our national sides now understand what to do if they want to be on a higher level. You have, for example, Riyad Mahrez playing for City. Everything changed, and we have to see if there's a chance to reach that stage, the WC," concludes he.
By: NEVEN CVIJANOVIĆ, Sport Klub TV reporter
