Hugo: 'We need to be even stronger next season'

Ambitious Hugo Lloris is already targeting a return to the Premier League’s top four in 2020/21.

A challenging 2019/20 campaign across the board saw us fall short of what would have been a fifth successive year of Champions League qualification, although we recovered strongly to finish sixth in the standings and secure a Europa League spot for the upcoming season.

Goalkeeper and captain Hugo, who has experienced his fair share of ups and downs over the last 12 months, was pleased with our post-lockdown form as we lost only one of our final nine games of last season, earning valuable wins over West Ham, Everton, Arsenal, Newcastle and Leicester.

And he believes that positive run bodes well for the new campaign, which comes up quickly in mid-September as the football calendar begins to right itself following the mass disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

“I think if you look at the period since the restart, we showed our ability to fight together,” said Hugo, who hit top form in June and July after two extended spells on the sidelines because of injury and lockdown.

“We were in a very bad situation and we tried together to at least get into the Europa League. Being in Europe next season is very important for the Club.

“Of course, we are disappointed not to get the Champions League spot but it’s part of the season and we need to accept that and prepare ourselves to be even better next season, to be even stronger next season.

“We need to get (into) the top four and be ready to fight, to challenge all the teams involved in the Premier League and in all competitions.”