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Alfred Johansson ranks Motherwell humbling of Helsinki alongside career best

· Scott Burns · 2026-08-13T21:25:54+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Alfred Johansson ranks Motherwell humbling of Helsinki alongside career best as Freiburg talk banned Rather than thinking about the Conference League finalists in the next round, the Swede is all about Stenhousemuir in the Premier Sports Cup Proud Motherwell boss Alfred Johansson reckons the humbling of HJK in the Conference League was up there amongst the best of his managerial career. A home double from Ibrahim Said was enough to sink the Finns at Fir Park. Johansson has managed at Rosenborg and Motherwell but believes this performance was better than most other performances he has seen. The Steelmen now take on Freiburg in the play-off round. Johansson admitted: “At least it has to rank quite high. It was two really strong legs from us in Helsinki and here. I’m really pleased to see the effort. I never have to speak about it because it’s always there. “But I felt today we took another step in the direction in how we want to look on the ball. “It’s complicated when you can’t train. “When you gather a new group of people and you need to build relationships and to play this way and you’re always on recovery and preparing for the next game, it’s difficult. “The guys need to transfer talk from video sessions into the game and they did it.” Said was the hero after he missed the first-leg in Finland through a visa issue. Motherwell at home next week so it will give them time to get their striker entry to Germany. He confirmed: “I expect that (visa) yes, especially as we start at home and we have more time to get it done. “Outstanding performance. I’m so pleased for him. “I think he’s been really good at the start of the season in Europe and the league. Against Falkirk he dropped a bit. “His effort was so high defensively but wasn't as good on the ball then a few days later to focus back on and try to do better, impressive.” More than 8,000 Motherwell fans were there to celebrate at Fir Park. He added: “8,100 people here which from what I hear in modern times it’s up there with some of the best games in terms of attendance. “So pleased and happy and proud to be a part of that. “When you're in the dugout and the players are on the pitch there’s an energy with these people singing and chanting and it transmits to the pitch and makes us better and stronger as a club. Johansson has banned any talk of Freiburg. The Fir Park focus is now all on the Premier Sports Cup and Stenhousemuir away. He confirmed; “That's the best. We are here every day to play matches so we get paid to play football so to see Sunday as something negative I'd never dream of that. “I’m not thinking about Freiburg. I’m not thinking about them. “It's Stenhousemuir. I'm trying to learn the accent. I do my best!”