‘I want to make sure the fans are happy’

Bernd Leno treated us to two of his finest performances in an Arsenal shirt last month.

The Germany goalkeeper made a string of superb stops in our north London derby draw, before keeping a clean sheet during our win over Manchester United.

 

Leno was deservedly crowned Player of the Month for the first time since he arrived in N5 last summer, and is delighted with how well our fans have welcomed him to the club.

 

“Each player wants to have good support from the fans,” he told Arsenal Player. “We all need the fans, me too, and it’s good to hear that fans like me or like the way that I play. I want to perform each game very well. But mostly I want to make sure the fans are happy as well.

“It’s difficult to go to another country and another league. The Premier League is completely different to the Champions League and Bundesliga. Everything is stronger but we analysed everything so I could get used to it. After a few weeks I was familiar with the football.

 

“The biggest challenge is that every game is so difficult for 95 minutes. In the Bundesliga, if you’re 2-0 or 3-0 up then the game is over. But in the PL, when you’re 2-0 or 3-0 up the game is still alive for the opposition. The speed of the game is higher than everywhere and that’s the reason why it’s the best league in the world.

 

“Coupled with that, the life of a goalkeeper is not easy. One day you are good, one day you are very bad. But you have to be very strong in your head and mind. This pushes every goalkeeper and keeps them focused at all times.”