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Light at the end of the tunnel for Defour

R. Standard de Liège's injured captain Steven Defour admits that missing the UEFA Champions League group stage has been "a hard thing to take" but aims to grace the competition in the future.

Steven Defour has missed Standard's opening three group stage games
Steven Defour has missed Standard's opening three group stage games ©Getty Images

R. Standard de Liège's injured captain Steven Defour admits that missing out on the UEFA Champions League group stage has been "a hard thing to take" but is determined to see his side reach the knockout stages so he can have a taste of a competition he longs to be involved in.

Cruel blow
Standard's talismanic midfielder had surgery on a broken foot sustained on 12 September, just four days prior to the Belgian champions' curtain-raiser in Europe's premier club competition, and has been sidelined ever since. Standard have picked up just a solitary point from their opening three fixtures to sit bottom of Group H in his absence. "This is the first time Standard have got to the Champions League," said the 23-cap Belgian international. "For the past three years I've been here, we've been working towards that.

Future hopes
"And then at the last moment, you're injured and can't play for the whole Champions League. It was a really hard thing to take on a mental level, especially at the beginning. I was working exclusively for that; that's why I stayed. And then when you can't play, it's a shame. I still hope I can play in it, I'm still young. If I continue to progress as I am now, I think I can still play in the Champions League."

Victory needed
Next up for Standard is the visit of Greek titleholders Olympiacos FC on 4 November, with Defour admitting that László Bölöni's charges "need to win" to retain any hope of qualifying from a section also containing semi-finalists last season, Arsenal FC. "I'm the team's number one fan," he continued. "I hope they get to the next round, as that would mean I could play in at least two games. Last year we played in the UEFA Cup but this year it's the Champions League and that's another level up."

Fàbregas admiration
While Defour reportedly continues to attract overtures from across Europe, he is grounded enough to pick out a number of players plying their trade at the top table who still serve as influential figures to himself. "I like watching how Andrea Pirlo plays," he said. "I like his playing style. I also like the playing style of Cesc Fàbregas, he plays in the same position – a modern number ten in fact, more withdrawn, just in front of the defence."

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