Jagielka excited at 10,000 travelling Evertonians at Lille
Everton skipper Phi Jagielka is excited at the prospect of between 8,000-10,000 travelling Evertonians in Lille and says that these are the games that the team want to enjoy.
Jagielka looks back to games against Fiorentina, Sporting Lisbon and Nurnberg as highlights of the blues European nights and says the team is full of confidence as they look to repay the travelling support.
Jagielka said: “I’ve heard there are going to be thousands of Evertonians over there and I expect lots and lots more than predicted to get themselves there.
“These are the nights we want to enjoy. Confidence-wise in the Europa League we’re sky high. It’s not like we’re at rock-bottom in the Premier League but results haven’t generally gone as we’d have liked.
“We played well against Aston Villa, didn’t make the silly mistakes we made in previous games and came out with three points.
“But the position we’re in in the Europa League is pretty healthy at the moment.
“We know it’s not done and dusted.
“We need a couple more good performances to qualify, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position and hopefully these away games will help us get stronger.”
“I have good memories of the Nuremburg game and then coming back after 10 months out and having the Sporting Lisbon game,” he said.
“They’re great memories.
“I even look back fondly on the Fiorentina game (when Everton bowed out of the Uefa Cup in 2008 on penalties with Jagielka’s crucial spot-kick saved, despite a thrilling fight-back at Goodison), that atmosphere, until my last involvement in the game.
“The game itself was amazing.
“We need to get to those later stages again and make more enjoyable nights in the Europa League.”
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