The coach of the violets, Ante Šimundža, is aware of the challenging task that awaits Maribor in Novi Sad: “Play the match as if it is a final!”
Photo: Žan Pak
Maribor will start the return match of the third round of the Conference League qualifiers in Bačka Topola at 8:00 PM. Ante Šimundža and his team will defend a one-goal lead, having defeated Vojvodina 2-1 in the first leg. Before the match in Serbia, Ante Šimundža and his player Marko Božić spoke to the club’s website, aware of the challenge ahead but confident that Maribor can secure European advancement.
Ante Šimundža on…
… preparations for the match:
We carried out our preparations as planned, knowing that this is a knockout stage and it’s crucial to enter the match at a European competitive level. The final part didn’t change anything, the journey went smoothly. The team’s condition is positive, and all the players here with us are ready to start the match.
… concerns before the clash:
I’m not worried, but we are very cautious. Our opponents have principles on how they attack and defend. Vojvodina is a good team. It’s important to disrupt their attempts, which could turn the game in a different direction, and successfully handle aspects of the game that they don’t like. Concentration must be at the highest level. We must play the match as if it’s a final.
… the fact that the match won’t be in Novi Sad:
Our fans have often helped us during matches, and we are well aware that it’s not pleasant for a team if they can’t play in their city, on their stadium. However, Vojvodina has adapted to this change since the beginning of the season, and their fans are used to traveling. The atmosphere probably won’t be the same as it would be in Novi Sad since not as many fans can gather, but we don’t consider the venue a mitigating circumstance.
Marko Božić on…
… the vibe in the locker room:
We have that one-goal advantage, but it doesn’t mean much for the return match. We need to be completely focused, just like we were in Maribor. We know we have a better starting point, but we didn’t come to defend the lead. We want to play our recognizable game and do everything to win this match as well. It will require a lot of effort, utilizing every opportunity we create, while ensuring we are reliable in defense. In the previous matches, we scored a lot of goals, but we also conceded quite a few. We need to fix that. We analyzed the first match, saw what we could do better. We will try to exploit those weaknesses in the opponent’s game. I won’t reveal how we plan to play, but we will go onto the field determined to be the ones who are more successful overall.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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