LOOKING FOR A KO BLOW
Rocky fan Fabianski is dreaming of inflicting a fairytale knockout blow on Swansea’s relegation rivals
LUKASZ FABIANSKI is dreaming of a fairytale ending to the season with Swansea.
The Rocky fan hopes three points at Bournemouth this afternoon can KO his team’s relegation rivals and help keep the Welsh side in the Premier League.
City are a point and a place above the bottom three with three games to go and keeper Fabianksi – this week named the club’s player of the year after an impressive personal campaign – is dreaming of a second great escape in as many years.
“I’m a romantic, emotional guy that lives and breathes football and believes in fairy tale stories. I like the Rocky films, things like that,” said the Poland international.
“The mood is positive and I can honestly say that if we remain calm and believe in our abilities, we can deliver the performances we need to look forward.
“Every question I’m being asked at the moment is about there being three games left, but to be honest with you, we’re focusing only on the Bournemouth game at the moment and how we should approach it.
“That’s our sole focus. I don’t want to look too far ahead, but avoiding relegation would be special, for sure, especially when you look back at our situation in January. Hopefully we will be able to do it.”
Swansea have a season-defining week. After Bournemouth, they host Southampton on Tuesday and Stoke on the final day of the season.
Carlos Carvalhal’s side have been lifted for their trip to the Cherries by the return of captain Federico Fernandez from a knee injury. Fabianski believes the players will deliver what it takes to survive having come through a similar scenario 12 months ago.
“When it came down to it last season we were able to deliver. It wasn’t always nice football, but when we needed to scrap for results, we managed to do it,” he said.
“That experience is something which might play a big part in this situation now. I remember in January people were saying it’s over for Swansea.
“In football sometimes it’s all about proving people wrong and that’s how I look at this situation.
“We want to show people we can still compete in this league.”
Boss Carvalhal and his men remain confident of avoiding the drop. And in Fabianski, they have a goalkeeper who may yet play a pivotal role in the run-in.
The 33-year-old, who joined from Arsenal in 2014, is determined to repay a club who gave him a chance at the top level.
He will travel to the World Cup this summer and added: “I have this feeling that it’s all clicking for me, it’s all coming together. I think I’m very consistent, that’s the right word.
“Swansea have invested in me and they took a chance because I was a second-choice goalkeeper with not much experience when it came to Premier League games.
“They decided to make a move for me and there was a question mark over whether it would work out or not.
“Now I just want to give something back.”