05 June 2023 , 21:30
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Pablo Fornals goes into West Ham's Eden project as his own harshest critic but insisting: “I am not going to change.”
Although he has been restricted to the supporting cast for much of a topsy-turvy season, Fornals has come up with the occasional gem, like his semi-final winner in Alkmaar last month.
The Spanish midfielder's team-mates say he is too hard on himself, but Fornals explained: “I left my home aged 14 living alone in an academy with other players, seven or eight hours away from my parents.
“I try to do my life as good as possible, my success was through work and passion. That is sometimes why I am like this. But it is my way to understand life, so I am not going to change it.”
Fornals, 27, got the party started in Alkmaar by firing the stoppage-time winner after a nutmeg when most players would have been content to run down the clock by the corner flag.
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And he could have another crucial role to play from the bench against Fiorentina in the Eden Arena on Wednesday night.
Fornals said: “I personally didn’t sent West Ham through because during the 90 minutes they played a good game and we were almost qualified, but to have the chance to score that goal was unreal.
“In that game, when we were suffering and defending a lot, to have this moment of happiness for everyone was unbelievable.
“I have watched the goal back - many times. The club has been posting it a lot on Instagram and twitter. The nutmeg? I just wanted to run as far away as possible from our goal and if I had the ball clear then I would try to score - why not?
“I knew within the moment when I connected well with my shot, the worst thing that can happen is that the ball goes out and in 20 or 30 seconds the game is done.”
Fornals has a year left on his contract with the Hammers but has shelved all talk of a new one until after the Europa Conference League final.
He admits he has not played as much as he would have liked this season but conceded: “We are in a position where we have 23 players but only 11 can play.
“It's totally fair for everyone if the team is doing well, I have to put my head down and still work.
“Hopefully my best moment for West Ham is still to come, but I can't look far ahead, thinking too much about arriving at my best.”