Soccer
Racing Genk’s season has taken a painful turn, with the club slipping to third in the Belgian Pro League and their title hopes all but extinguished, Soccernet.ng reports.
Still, Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare remains defiant — both in defence of his teammates and in his personal ambitions.
Having enjoyed a prolific campaign with 22 goals and seven assists in all competitions under manager Thorsten Fink, Arokodare believes Genk’s performances this season deserve more credit — even as the final stretch proved bitterly disappointing.
Genk led the league for long a long stretch during the regular season but the Smurfs have seen their title ambitions fade into thin air.
Arokodare and teammates have not won any of their last five matches, a horrible run of results that has seen Genk slip to third with only three games left in the Championship round. Genk are six points behind leaders Union Saint-Gilloise and five shy of Club Brugge in second place.
“I don’t think anyone saw this coming,” Arokodare told Het Laatste Nieuws. “We had a great season, and then you keep losing by one goal. Penalties against, a red card… It was tough to take.”
Genk were knocked out of the Belgian Cup by Club Brugge and struggled during the Champions’ Play-Offs. Still, Arokodare insists the quality at the club is not in doubt.
“Every player of Genk has played a fantastic season. The coach was great, the fans are amazing.”
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Tolu Arokodare: Nigeria star lifts lid on Genk title collapse, Club Brugge and Bayern Munich links
With another crucial match against Club Brugge this weekend, Genk have a chance to salvage some pride and possibly sneak into second place, which remains mathematically possible.
“You see, it’s not over yet. If you beat them (Club Brugge), you can look up again… You never know,” said the 24-year-old striker. “I don’t think we have anything to prove.”
When asked whether Club Brugge or Union SG were simply stronger, Arokodare remained bullish:
“We have lost to them more often than we have won, but I don’t think there is a better team in Belgium than Genk. We have the best goalkeeper, the best defence, the best provider and — I don’t want to brag — I am the top scorer of the competition. That says enough.”
The Nigerian international, who made his Super Eagles debut in March against Rwanda, admits the team’s lack of experience may have played a role in their late-season slip.
“But it’s not all negative. We can be proud of ourselves.”
Off the pitch, Arokodare has also made headlines after revealing his openness to a move, particularly to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
“If the opportunity comes, I have to make sure I’m ready. You don’t know how many times a train will pass, so I don’t want to miss any opportunities,” he said. “That I would be the stand-in for Harry Kane? Yes. That would be nice, wouldn’t it. It’s still rumours, I haven’t had any contact.”
Arokodare previously had a spell in the German Bundesliga but it did not go as planned as he failed to find the net all season for FC Cologne.
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns into a ball of passion when writing about Nigerian football and its talents, whether rising stars or established legends, locally and abroad.
From the deepest corners of the Middle East, to the green fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the rich soils of Africa, Imhons is more than glad, usually with a glass of a tasty drink nearby, to capture the essence of the game, by connecting the dots between culture, identity, and football.
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