Former Hajduk youth player Marko Capan, now with Žalgiris, spoke openly ahead of the clash with the Whites in the Conference League about his former coach, Livaja, and returning to Poljud. Meanwhile, Hajduk will be without injured goalkeeper Ivušić.
As Hajduk prepares for the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round, a familiar face will be on the opposite side. Marko Capan, a former first-team player and captain of Hajduk's youth side that reached the UEFA Youth League final, will face his former club in the colors of Lithuanian side Žalgiris.
Speaking to Sport Klub's Denis Draganović ahead of the match in Vilnius on Thursday, August 6, 2026, Capan shared his thoughts on coach Gonzalo Garcia, the atmosphere in Lithuania, and his return to Poljud. He also touched on playing with Ivan Rakitić, learning from Ivan Perišić and Marko Livaja, and the experience of training under Gennaro Gattuso.
Capan had nothing but praise for the Spanish coach, under whom he briefly worked at Hajduk. "In Hajduk, Garcia was my last coach; under him, everything was tactically clear, and he had specific demands for every player," Capan told Sport Klub. He described Lithuanian football as 'wild' and more physically demanding, admitting it took time to adapt, especially due to artificial pitches.
However, Garcia's meticulous approach left the deepest impression: "I prefer the Spanish style of football, focused on possession, and Garcia impressed me from the first training session when he explained to each player exactly what he wanted and why something had to be done in a certain way. He always explained everything, and it all made sense. We clicked, but soon I injured my back, new players came in, and I decided to seek a new opportunity at Žalgiris."
His Žalgiris enters the third qualifying round after a sensational comeback in the second round of qualifying. After losing 0-3 in the first leg against Dinamo Tbilisi, the Lithuanian club won the return leg convincingly 7-2. Capan admits that both he and his teammates were surprised by the outcome that set up a tie with Hajduk.
"After both our and their first matches, we didn't expect to face Hajduk. When I saw they were losing, I wasn't happy, because I always want Hajduk to progress and get good results. But later, I was happy to return to Poljud and experience the atmosphere in that city again," Capan said honestly. The return leg at Poljud takes place a week later.
He also commented on Željko Sopić's arrival in Lithuanian football. Sopić has taken charge of Kauno Žalgiris, Dinamo's opponent in the Champions League qualifiers and, according to Capan, the biggest title rival. "Sopić doesn't mince words; he'll always say what he thinks. It's good that he's here because he'll raise the level of football in Lithuania," Capan said, adding that the league is extremely competitive, with a small points difference between first and sixth place.
On the other side, the Split club will be weakened in Vilnius. Hajduk coach Gonzalo Garcia will be without experienced goalkeeper Ivica Ivušić for the first match, as he picked up an injury in training ahead of the game and has been ruled out. The match is scheduled for Thursday at 7 PM Croatian time.
