'We are one family' says Canaries boss Clement

Norwich City manager Philippe Clement drew a parallel between his team and a single family following their 2-1 victory over Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup third round. Croatian forward Ante Crnac sealed the win with a goal in the second half, his first since returning from a 10-month absence due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

The ecstatic Canaries supporters and the Cardiff bench alike celebrated Crnac's feat, with Clement praising the Croatian's determination, stating, "It's really special for him. I congratulated him not only for the goal but for 10 months of really hard work and staying positive and fighting back."

Clement emphasized the strong bond within the Norwich squad, saying, "It's really nice that in his first minutes, he can get the reward to score a very important goal for the club, and to help us qualify. It will give him a lot of confidence for the future because he's been fighting with his body for 10 months. So, to get this reward, and see that your body is fine, it's a really important thing for him."

Meanwhile, the club's winger Ali Ahmed, who also suffered an ACL injury, is likely to miss most of the 2026-27 season. Clement acknowledged the close-knit nature of the team, saying, "We are one family so everybody lives with each other in the good, and the bad, moments. The dressing room is really close and that's really important for the months to come."