Norwich City midfielder Lukas Rupp doesn’t think the earlier loss to Chelsea in the Premier League will have much of a bearing on Thursday night’s clash at Carrow Road.
The Canaries host Thomas Tuchel’s side having lost to them 7-0 at Stamford Bridge in October, but since then the club have had a change of head coach with Dean Smith taking charge of the team in November.
“I remember the first game against Chelsea was very tough, but we are at Carrow Road, and everything is possible,” said Lukas. “It will be a different game. We are at home; it is a tough side and one of the best at the moment and I can’t tell you now what the magic is (to get a result), so we have to see and we have to perform at our best level or we don’t have a chance against them.
“We had some wins after the change (in head coach) and we are better in the games. We keep it quite open and, of course, against the top sides it is difficult but if we keep the nil and keep it open until the end, hopefully we can get a result.”
Lukas, who has just returned from injury, admitted it had been a season of ups and downs for him but one he has cherished playing in front of supporters in the Premier League.
“I was injured for two months,” he said. “I feel good again, but I am not 100 per cent. I am getting there. I just need some gametime again, because training is different to games in the Premier League. The match fitness is missing because I have not had the load in the games. I came on against Southampton and then I played against Liverpool and it was all good, but after a long injury you just need a little bit of time to get to your best.
“If the fans see you in the squad they expect that you are, of course, 100 per cent, but it is not like this. Anybody who has played on this level knows that it is so difficult, after an injury, just to get the confidence back in your body. I think I am in a good way though.”
Speaking about the experience of playing in the Premier League, Lukas added: “It is much better (than last time) because we have fans again. When I first came to Norwich, we had one or two months and then it was the lockdown and afterwards it was just weird. Now we have got the fans back and it is amazing. It is probably the best league in the world and we want to stay in it. We have to perform so we are allowed to stay in it, next season."