'Hopefully I can make my first time a good time' - Struijk on Wembley
Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk says he felt "calm and ready" before taking the winning penalty that sent his club through to the FA Cup semi-finals, adding that the celebrations continued until the players "reached home". "It can be overwhelming to be in the situation I was in," the centre-back told BBC Radio Leeds. "But this time I felt calm and ready, my head was clear.
"Their goalkeeper was trying to intimidate me and their fans were waving their arms, but I didn't let that get into my head. I was very calm. "When it hit the inside of the post, I always knew it was going in.
I would have rather seen it hit the back of the net straightaway though. " The club last played at Wembley Stadium two years ago when they lost 1-0 to Southampton in the Championship play-off final, but Struijk missed out through injury. When asked about having the chance to play at the iconic ground, Struijk replied: "It is very special.
I'm very excited and motivated to get a result there because last time was obviously disappointing [for me and for the club]. "Hopefully I can make my first time a good time. "I've been here for such a long time that this club holds a really special place in my heart.
I came here as a young boy and now I am fully grown. " Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds, where Struijk discusses Daniel Farke's influence