Maribor lost to Mainz, youth coach Dejan Dončić stresses: ‘Congratulations to the boys for their performance no matter what’
Wednesday was a busy day at Ljudski vrt. There were 2500 spectators in the stands, Viola was there, and a few visitors in the away fans’ section. At the end of the match, even the torches were lit… Youth team NK Maribor played a Champions League match in a great atmosphere, but despite the loud support, Mainz was expected to be too strong an opponent.
The Germans won their opening match 2-0 and took a big step towards promotion. Dejan Dončić, coach of the youth team of NK Maribor, was not too disappointed. He is aware that Mainz is the German champion after all…
“We knew we were in for a tough test against the German champions, with fast, dynamic, strong individuals. In the first 20 minutes, we respected them a bit too much, we didn’t set up the passes we wanted or have the depth we wanted. Then we closed ranks, dropped the ball on the floor and went for 2. Half-time more courageous, we had certain situations that could have been more dangerous if we had finished them better. Regardless, congratulations to the boys for their performance, they really did their best,” told for club website Dejan Dončić after the defeat.
Dončić: “We have learnt useful lessons”
Maribor will play the return leg against the German champions in 10 days, and Dejan Dončić is confident that the experience will come in handy for his squad no matter what, and will be beneficial for the boys’ further development.I said after the draw that this match would be a welcome experience for all players. These are juniors who will be playing in the youth competition in a year or two and they have to get used to these things. Every game like the one against Mainz is welcome for their development. We have learnt useful lessons and we need to take positive things with us. We faced different demands, we had to adapt to a level where the game is faster. But we want to be faster on the pitch in the future than perhaps ever before in the domestic championship.”
This text was automatically translated using AI.
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