Kovacevic: ‘Hajduk is the first, and football is not played for beauty but for points. Let’s go to battle ‘
Slaven Belupo and Hajduk will weigh forces in Koprivnica on Saturday from 4pm in the 28th round HNL. The « pharmacists » are in a great series, they have two championship victories in a row, and they also placed in the Cup final with a victory against Osijek after the crucifixion (0-0, 4-3pena). The match with Hajduk was announced by Slaven coach Mario Kovacevic.
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Wonderful Kovacevic’s path: ‘It was no problem for me to go to the fourth league and go everything from scratch’
– We are happy and cheerful for passing the Cup final, but life goes on. I’m looking forward to the match against Hajduk, maybe it’s coming a little too fast, but I don’t want to swear and look for Alibi. As for my team, there is no Christmas because of three yellow cards, and the rest should be good, although the fatigue of the small exists – Kovacevic began and added:
Slaven Belupo and Dinamo met in the 25th round of the SuperSport HNL |
– We have a wide staff, we may put some that have been playing less, but who are good and worthy replacements. We will agree on the best possible team because we are aware that we are not the same team when we are not energy right and if the intensity of the race is not good. Then we have a problem with everyone, not just Hajduk.
Osijek lost to Opus Arena by Slaven Belupo 1: 2 |
Slaven coach received the award for the best coach of the month at the HNL, and pointed out that he is coming to the championship leader again.
– For the second week, we have a leading team. We beat Rijeka, now Hajduk is the first, they have ambitions and every honor to everyone in the club in the first place, but we look at ourselves and we will do our best to win in front of our fans. A team such as Hajduk has Liva, Rakitic, a tradition, you have to respect them, but only until the start of the game, then we go to battle the best we can – he said, and emphasized the complexity of the match that comes to them just a few days after the dramatic semi -finals of the Cup with Osijek.
Koprivnica: Mario Kovacevic is the recipient of the HNL Supersport HNL Award for the Moon coach for the 2nd month |
– Nervousness, penalties, it all affects the body. We want to play Europe and we look forward to playing every three days, but this is less than three days and we would have a good time to come another extra, but I do not want to turn out to get Hajduk into this. They have nothing to do with this and I am not looking for an alibi. A good day would come to us, but as much as we exhausted, we are at the same time filled with a positive. We know we are doing a good job and on the wave of this I am sure we will have the strength and play well.
He will host Hajduk without Tomislav Bozic, who earned a third accumulated yellow card against Rijeka. He praised the Kovacevic stopper.
– I have to say that I am really proud to be a coach with such guys, led by Captain Bozic. I will not talk about his age, but I will say that no training has skipped, as much as we want to rest it. I don’t know anymore what words I would praise. But all we do is no accident. It didn’t come from heaven, we work, players listen, and with such a captain it is easier. We will surely miss, but we have a player who will replace him. Boras changed our stoppers before and I’m not afraid of that side.
Koprivnica: Slaven Belupo footballer training |
Interestingly, Hajduk in 2025. He had not yet won no one.
– A lot of things can be seen from statistics, but it doesn’t play a role. There are 27 rounds behind us, Hajduk is the first, down is euphoria, they have their own way, and football is not played for beauty, but for points and they have a whole right to do what they do. I appreciate all the clubs, but we will throw each other against each one and go for points – concluded the team coach with the most points scored in 2025.
