Mohammed Salisu: "We have great cohesion in the team" | OneFootball

The central defender, back from injury since the international break, spoke at a press conference before the clash at the Vélodrome in Marseille (Sunday, 9 p.m.).

He made a fabulous defensive save last year to keep a 2-2 draw against Marseille at the  Vélodrome. Almost a year later, Mohammed Salisu will return to this ground this Sunday (9 p.m.), with the objective of taking the three points and putting distance between themselves and a direct competitor. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the player who has played nine matches this season expressed a strength in his state of mind.

We are already fully focused on these preparations because we know that it is never easy to play in Marseille with that atmosphere and supporters. We are also in good form and we will have to go there with a good mentality.

Preparing to face Marseille

It will be a very big match on Sunday. That is what they are doing, I imagine, a team building camp to best prepare for the match. But we too are already fully focused on these preparations because we know that it is never easy to play in Marseille with that atmosphere and supporters. We are also in good form and we will have to go there with a good mentality.

On Denis Zakaria as a captain

Denis is a great leader. We have a great team spirit, he is one of the main reasons for that. He knows how to talk to the young players and maybe puts more pressure on them. It is very important that a captain can do that because we have a young team and he has done this very well from the beginning. Everyone is happy and we all get along well in the dressing room. I am very surprised by it, it is the first time in my career that it is so pronounced.

So I’m very happy to be in this team. We just have to continue like this and stay focused all season. This should allow us to achieve our goals. It’s very important to be united, especially in the more challenging moments, where we always have to stick together. We were very disappointed in the last game against Benfica, but now we’ll do everything to move forward and show that we’re a good team in the next game.

Adi Hütter’s record in Ligue 1

He is similar to one of my former coaches in England, Ralph Hasenhüttl. He has the same philosophy of play based on high pressing, a style that I particularly like and that corresponds to mine. I feel like we have progressed a lot between last season and this one. So I would say that he is one of the best coaches I have worked under in my career..

His own style of play

When you watch the games, you can see that we often take risks by pressing high. The team also tries to keep the ball, so we have to be able to win it back quickly and win most of our duels, that’s one of my strengths. So the style of play helps me a lot to show my qualities.

The team has progressed from one season to the next and this is the same for me. I think I'm better because I was injured at the beginning of last season and I wasn't 100% when I was able to play my first matches. Since the beginning of this season, I'm feeling better and better, preseason with the team was good

The coach’s qualities

As I said before, I like the fact that we take risks most of the time. Even if we get a red card, we play the same way, we don’t back down. In Marseille last season for example, we got a red card after 10 minutes. In the end, we managed to get a 2-2 draw by pressing in the same way. I’m very impressed by that because in situations like this, many clubs would have backed down and played on the counter-attack.

The second thing I like a lot is our counter-pressing as well. When we lose the ball, we win it back quickly. I think we are one of the best teams in Europe at the moment.

The team’s progress

Yes, the team has progressed from one season to the next and this is the same for me. I think I’m better because I was injured at the beginning of last season and I wasn’t 100% when I was able to play my first matches. Since the beginning of this season, I’m feeling better and better, preseason with the team was good. Even though I was injured for a month, I’m fit and focused on the next matches.

His personal development

I think I have progressed with and without the ball. With our way of playing, we play with the ball very often. As a defender, we have to be good with the ball at our feet. And without the ball, I feel like I am winning more duels and making more interceptions compared to last season.

Competition in central defence

I have always said that this season is very important for the Club and the team. We have a young squad where everyone can play because everyone is performing well. With this run of matches, the coach has to rotate and even if I can be good two games in a row and he puts me on the bench in the third, I have to respect that because the team comes before me. It is his decision and that is why we have already won a lot this season.