Nearly eight years ago, on 30 July 2015, Angelo Ogbonna made his West Ham United debut in an infamous UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie with Astra Giurgiu at the Boleyn Ground.
The Irons looked to be cruising through, only for an own-goal by the Italian to help the Romanians erase a two-goal deficit, before completing a shock aggregate victory on home soil a week later.
It was a challenging start for the Serie A title-winner, who had arrived in east London following impressive spells with Torino and Juventus, but any jeers soon turned to cheers as the defender wowed the Claret and Blue Army with a series of iconic goals and dominant defensive performances.
Now the Club’s second-longest serving first-team player behind Aaron Cresswell, the 35-year-old has played his part in helping the Hammers settle into a new home, steer through the COVID crisis, beat repeated relegation battles, and establish themselves as a European force.
It has not always been easy, with Ogbonna and his family first learning a new language and culture in a new country, then the player himself having to deal with two serious knee injuries – the second of which ruled him out for two-thirds of last season, including the Irons’ run to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
Mercifully, the likeable No21 has returned to fitness and form this term, captaining West Ham to four of the side’s 13 victories on their way to Wednesday’s UEFA Europa Conference League final with ACF Fiorentina in Prague.
It’s been a big journey for you and West Ham United – and now it’s taken you to a European final!
“It’s history! It’s something really exciting and really emotional for everyone – the Club, the fans, the players – and I think it’s going to be really important.
“I’m really, really excited because we passed through a lot of things – relegation battles – and the atmosphere behind the scenes in every department is very positive. It has all been part of a transition.
“Going into Europe for a second time and going to the final is something that will stick with us forever, because it’s not easy to have this situation and this position two years in a row.”
Without putting pressure on ourselves, this is a big opportunity for us, not just for the glory of winning a trophy, but we would go into Europe again for a third straight season…
“I always talk about steps, and we need to happy and glad that we reached this final because I think everything comes from everyone working together to get this kind of situation.
“We were a little bit superstitious and didn’t want to talk too much about it, but this is part of West Ham history. Even as our song says, our fortune has always been hiding and we need to take the step, and what will happen, will happen.”
For you, this season has been so positive after your big injury?
“I think the last couple of years were really important for me. It’s football and something can happen, you can get injured, and the most important thing is that you don’t lay down. You need to keep going and keep doing things your way.
“For me, I had a rest and that helped me a little bit. I had my targets and I kept going. My teammates really helped me. Playing the Europa Conference League games at the start also helped me a lot, because we know the rhythm of the Premier League is really high.
“I took things step-by-step and worked with the fitness coaches behind the scenes and here we are.”
You talk about fortune and you have had good fortune against Fiorentina in the past, beating them in the Coppa Italia with Torino and Juventus and in the Europa League round of 16 with Juve nine years ago!
“It’s a good record, but I would say we have to respect our opponents because this is one game. I know the Italian style and they will do whatever it takes.
“We have built our momentum over this year and we will respect them, of course, but we know our situation. We know expectation is high and the pressure is on, but we need to be calm and take things in the right way.”
Talking of being calm, you can see which players are relaxed and which are calm before kick-off, so we need to be mentally ready and not be anxious, don’t we?
“This is a game it’s easy to prepare for. It’s one game and you know there has to be a result because there is no second leg or whatever. For us, if we stay together, we have a chance…
“The last game we played at AZ away was very, very emotional. We wanted this for the fans, for us and for our careers.
“Our celebrations, I really liked, because everyone is part of our family, and we want to celebrate together again after the final.”
