Bernd Leno has told Jack Kelly that he can’t wait for the pressure of playing for Premier League points after keeping a clean sheet in Fulham’s final pre-season friendly against Eintracht Frankfurt yesterday.
The German goalkeeper made three excellent saves as Marco Silva’s side beat their Bundesliga opponents 1-0 thanks to a fine first-half free-kick from Raul Jimenez. Speaking after the final whistle at Craven Cottage, Leno said:
“It’s always important to finish pre-season with a win, a clean sheet is even better and now we go into the last week and our preparation for Brighton with a good feeling, good atmosphere, so we’re ready. I feel fit, I feel good, I feel sharp, mentally and physically. Pre-season and the friendly games are good, but everyone is ready for pressure, for the special games and competition. I’m more than ready as well for the competition.”
The German international insisted that the presence of Benjamin Lecomte in the squad hasn’t changed his approach over the summer – saying that Fulham’s first-team squad benefits from competition for places.
“I’ve always had competition. Marek Rodak was here, Steven Benda was here and now he is at Millwall. They kept the level very, very high in training and pushed me and pushed themselves. For me, it doesn’t make any difference. I’ve been in competition [with other goalkeepers] all my career and, as I said, it’s always good to push yourself when there’s someone behind you pushing. I think competition is good – and everyone in the team has it.”
Leno knows that the opening game of the season against Brighton and Hove Albion will be a tough test – but reiterated that Silva’s side will be targeting a win at the AMEX.
“It’s been always [been] very, very tight games [against Brighton]. I remember last season we lost in the 97th minute to a very, very unlucky penalty and I think we deserved one point. We will go there to win – as we always do – and we’re ready to go there.”
