Ekitic: We can get back on the winning track; I have dreamed of joining the national team since I was a kid

Hupu News November 20 After the international match day, Ekitic returned to the club for an interview on the Liverpool official website.

Liverpool will face Nottingham Forest at Anfield this Saturday afternoon (23:00 on November 22). The game will kick off a high-intensity cycle for Slaughter's team to play seven games in 21 days, involving two events.

Nonetheless, Ekitic believes that he and his teammates are ready to face the challenge: "I think it will be a very difficult period, with a lot of games - and they will not be easy. Those games before the international break will also be difficult.

"We need to stick together and support each other, because it will be a very busy period with a lot of games to play. But I'm very confident. I think we can make a difference; there's still a lot of games ahead, but this is a position we want to be in. "

"Football is all about momentum. At the beginning of the season, we won almost every game with a last-minute goal. Then we started losing, but I thought we could turn it around. "

"We can get back on the winning track. It's just a matter of momentum. I believe we can improve and get better. "

Forest will come to Merseyside this weekend. They are ranked 19th in the Premier League after 11 rounds. However, the team's form has improved after Sean Dyche took over and they have remained unbeaten in the last three games.

Ekitic added: "They changed the coach and now the defense has become very good. They are especially strong defensively. So I think every game in the Premier League - really every game - is difficult.

"We must work hard and prepare for this weekend."

Ekitic performed well during the international break. He scored his first senior team goal representing the French national team and helped France secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup in advance. He has returned to the AXA training center this week.

"(I feel) proud, obviously it's a great feeling." Liverpool No. 22 said, "I always dreamed of this when I was a kid! This trip to the national team was great, and now I'm happy to be back at the club."

"I've received a lot of messages! To be honest, I can't see it, but I appreciate everyone's love!"

After breaking the French team's goal drought, Ekitic hopes to continue the good start in Liverpool. He joined the Red Army from Frankfurt this summer.

The 23-year-old said: "I feel like I'm getting better. Even though I didn't score a lot of goals last month, I improved in other aspects of my game."

"The key is to keep getting better - and I am definitely getting better, and I believe everything will work out."