FIELD OF DREAMS
New Covid scare as Linfield limber up in Warsaw,
AS Legia Warsaw faced up to a late Covid-19 scare, Linfield manager David Healy insisted that the huge financial rewards from European competition are not a motivating factor for him or his players ahead of this evening’s Champions League clash in Poland.
The Polish kingpins last night announced that one of their players had tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday but the Blues are not expected to be granted a repeat of the walkover win they were handed when preliminary round opponents Drita had their entire team quarantined by authorities in Switzerland last week.
Healy and his team have made the club around £2 million with their efforts in continental competition over the last couple of years and could bank far more by getting the better of Legia in tonight’s first qualifying round tie in Warsaw, but the Windsor Park chief says the topic is never discussed in the dressing room and insists that, for him, these experiences are all about the football, not the finance.
“There is never any pressure put on me from above about the financial aspect of European football,” the Blues boss told the Belfast Telegraph
“In turn, I would never put any pressure on the players from that point of view.
“I know over the past six months there has been a lot of talk in the Irish League about money, but in our dressing room it is not an issue for discussion.”
Healy added: “We talk about football and how to perform well and win games.
“Money is not a motivation for us in Europe. It is about testing ourselves against quality opposition, trying to improve as a team and making as much progress as possible.
“Thankfully in my time at the club we have managed to win quite a few games in Europe, and we want to continue to do that.”
Last season, the Blues were close to reaching the Europa League group stages, bringing in around £1.3 million, and already this term — having defeated Tre Fiori and been awarded a 3-0 victory over Drita by Uefa after last week’s preliminary round final was called off due to two of the Kosovan team’s playfor ers testing positive Covid-19 — they have guaranteed £700,000.
Should the Blues lose tonight, they will drop into the Europa League, where they would hope to make progress as they did last season, but a win would see them stay in the Champions League and face a home tie against the winners of Armenia Ararat or Omonia Nicosia,
a winnable contest which could take them into the third qualifying round of the world’s premier club competition and deliver significant funds. Healy (below) has won every domestic trophy possible for Linfield, including three titles in four years, as well as making his mark in Europe. Victory away to the Polish champions in a one leg shoot-out would be amongst his most impressive achievements.
“It’s a big ask. As a football club, we do our research on opposition teams and, as manager,
I like to know the fine details, and Legia Warsaw have a good mix of foreign players and Polish talent and are a strong team,” said Healy.
“They also have a great tradition and history, and will feel that at home they can make it through against us. It is one of the hardest ties we could have had but it is also a chance to test ourselves. I know our boys will be totally committed and ideally I want us to be in the game with a fighting chance entering the last half hour. We have shown in my time at the club that we are capable of competing in Europe and we will go into the match with a positive mindset.”