This afternoon the former Primavera defender Fiorentina Jordy Gillekenswho currently play in the Belgian second division at France Borainson the eve of the semi-final between the Viola and the Club Brugge was interviewed by the Belgian sports portal DH. The former viola seedling recounted his experience in viola. This is an excerpt from his statements:
“I have many teammates in Brugge but tomorrow I will support Fiorentina”
“All my teammates are from Brugge, but my heart still beats for Fiorentina. My time there was short but unforgettable. The thing that struck me the most was that the fans were much more passionate about football than in Belgium. Our matches were broadcast live on TV, I was well known in the city, we played the Cup final in front of 6,000 people.”
“I arrived in Italy thanks to Bigica, the Viola are one of the best youth sectors in Italy”
He recalled his arrival in Italy: “I think it was due to my matches with the U17 national team. We lost 0-1 against Italy, in a match in which Loïs Openda missed the 1-0 at the last minute after a confrontation with the goalkeeper. My direct opponent was Moise Kean, from Juventus, and he didn’t do much in that match. The coach of Italy, Emiliano Bigica, became my coach at Fiorentina. My agent Axel Vergeylen had to negotiate day and night for two months with the OHL to find a solution. I wanted to try this adventure. A special memory in purple? We won four times against reigning champions Inter. We also beat Roma, Juventus and Napoli. Fiorentina is one of the 5 best youth sectors in Italy. I learned a lot about defense. During the training camp, sometimes we had to move en masse for an hour without the ball. The important thing is to be able to play in the correct position.”
“I remember training with Vlahovic: he scored with his eyes closed”
He then talked about training with Vlahovic, with whom he trained several times in 2019: “He was already training with the First Team, but he asked to play with us from January 2019. He scored with his eyes closed. He always wanted the ball and collided with defenders, a mental battle that he always ended up winning. Even in training, he was a pain in the ass. But off the pitch he was the best. He paid for a restaurant dinner for the team. And I remember once at the hairdresser, where he was before me. When we left, he paid for both of us. I got along well with him. I sent him a few messages and he texted me back, just like he did after he moved. But over time we lost sight of each other.”
“Chiesa was very nice. I left Florence when the new ownership arrived”
He then concluded: “My best-known teammates there were Veretout, Chiesa and Mirallas. Kevin didn’t pay too much attention to me, but I don’t blame him. He had his own career to think about. Chiesa, on the other hand, was very nice. He was fast as lightning. Farewell to Florence? I signed for one year with a four-year option. But in 2019 the club was bought by the Americans and none of the players with options were purchased. I am sorry. My career could have taken a completely different direction. If I hadn’t made it at Fiorentina, I could have played in Serie C or B…”.
