“The truth is we have been together for two years, and a couple of weeks, and I've never been so happy with him as I am now,” the boss said. “That's the truth. I cannot demand more from him, I cannot ask more from him.

”He came here on Monday, he trained for three days, I asked for his support, for his contribution in an important match for us, when the team had difficulties. He did it, he did it better and for more time than we could expect. When he says he did it for the fans and for the team, it's exactly what I want. It's exactly what I demand from my players, it is what he is giving me.