Jan Vertonghen passed the microphone first after the game. He made no bones about it.
“The Danes played a different system and we were unrecognizable before half-time,” the defender immediately put his finger on the wound.
“We had no peace with the ball, we were a step too late everywhere. It was just far too little in all respects.”
“We knew that the Danes were a strong team, we had already seen that in the Nations League. But now they played more with their hearts, with a lot of enthusiasm and we didn’t do enough in the 1st half.”
With De Bruyne, Witsel and Eden Hazard after the break, the team got a new impetus.
Vertonghen: “Those guys bring a surplus of quality. We shouldn’t be stupid about that. They belong and if they are not there, we feel it. But that also applies to other players.”
The same tenor with Romelu Lukaku. “We played dramatically, myself included. We have to say it like it is,” said Lukaku, who was named Man of the Match by UEFA.
“In the second half it was better. There was more intensity on the ball and we were able to create more.”
“We haven’t brought the quality we can bring, but we shouldn’t be negative. We won in very difficult circumstances. Denmark played fantastic, and then also with that great crowd… This was a good test. We got through it.”
“With the boys returning, the level will rise with us. Everyone will come to their level. The trainer faces difficult choices, but the team will only benefit from it.”
