Willem Janssen is completely ready for his return to FC Utrecht, which the central defender has had to miss throughout the year. The routine sustained a torn cruciate ligament in January in the cup match against FC Eindhoven. Janssen hopes to be able to make playing minutes against FC Dordrecht on Tuesday-evening, the opponent of the Domstedelingen in the first round of the TOTO KNVB Cup.

“To be honest, I do count on it a bit,” explains Janssen, now 34, in an interview with The Telegraph. “You have to start making minutes again somewhere. That is not so easy, especially now that no practice duels are allowed. My knee feels very good and I am in good shape again during the practices.” The defender had already wanted to make his comeback in Utrecht at the beginning of September. “But then I got corona. I sat at home for two weeks. I have not been very ill, but it does something with your condition and I also noticed that I had been sitting still for two weeks. It was stiff and stiff in the beginning. conditional it took a while to rake. “

Janssen was already twice in the match selection of FC Utrecht this season. However, he has not yet been awarded playing time by trainer John van den Brom. “I came with FC Groningen, but my test result came in too late”, the experienced driver sighs. “Once you have tested positive, you can then test positive more often. These are old virus residues. A positive test is not an issue, I have dispensation for that. In my case, it was the exceptional case that there was no result, because the test took so long. A negative test would have been good, a positive test too, but you can’t play without a result. Finally he came in ten minutes after the game. That was really bizarre. “

Justin Hoogma and Tommy St. Jago are doing well in the heart of the defense, so Janssen has to fight for his place in the last line of FC Utrecht. “It’s just going well with Tommy and Justin. They don’t give away many opportunities”, he complimented his competitors. “Tommy is developing very well. I like to see that, I am busy with him a lot. He is also open to that. When I am in the stands, like against FC Twente (2-1 victory, ed.), then I enjoy it in a way. “

Janssen is entering an important phase, as his contract expires at the end of this season. “And if I play a certain number of matches, it is automatically extended”, emphasizes the hopeful defender. “I want to play football for a few more years. Then you also know that it will be difficult when it takes months before you start playing again. But I am not working on that now. I feel good and I also have training again. a good feeling. That gives me confidence “, Janssen concludes.