Croatian striker Leon Kreković reveals how a call from Željko Sopić pulled him out of uncertainty and led him to Kauno Žalgiris, with whom he will face Dinamo at Maksimir tonight in Champions League qualifying.
The winger from Knin, Leon Kreković (26), is the main topic of football conversations ahead of the clash between GNK Dinamo and FK Kauno Žalgiris in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. It was he who, with his goal against KI Klaksvík, took the Lithuanian club to a historic European double-header, and in an interview with Slobodna Dalmacija and Sportske novosti, he spoke candidly about his incredible story, faith, coach Željko Sopić, and Hajduk's chances.
Kreković came on in the 46th minute and scored the goal that secured Kauno Žalgiris's first-ever European qualification. "Honestly, I still haven't fully grasped what we've achieved. I've written myself into the history of a club that is very young and new, and I've only just arrived. We've secured European football-it's a miracle," said Kreković. He emphasized that no one in Kaunas expected such success, with more talk about a concert than about football.
The path to this success wasn't easy. Kreković was without a club for a while, and then on Thursday, while putting his child to sleep, his phone rang. "I had just prayed to God to give me a sign, and then Željko called. We talked for five minutes, and by Friday everything was settled," he recalled. Alongside Sopić, he also extended special thanks to Igor Štimac, calling him "a true gentleman."
Although Žalgiris is synonymous with basketball greatness in Lithuania, the football club is just building its story. Kreković reveals that the club operates with literally three people, but he believes in rapid growth. "We're new, but we'll grow. The same people run us as the basketball club," he explained. His compatriots Bosančić and Capan play for the city rivals, Žalgiris from Vilnius, about a 45-minute drive away, and Kreković says Pero congratulated him on the success.
He has nothing but praise for working with Sopić: "The boss is an incredible guy; it's a real pleasure to work with him. He plays attacking football with a lot of aggression, and that suits me. He's the main reason I came here."
Tonight at 8:00 PM at Maksimir (broadcast on MaxSport1), Kreković faces a clash against Dinamo. He admits the Zagreb club surprised him in the previous round: "I watched them against Thun, and I was surprised they were losing like that. No need to waste words on Dinamo; everyone knows what they're about. And nothing else-just fight, fight, and nothing more."
He also commented on Hajduk, who, after the disappointment in Cyprus, will play against Žalgiris from Vilnius. Kreković believes in the Split club: "It's a club with great tradition, but Hajduk shouldn't have any particular problems. The only thing is, they play home matches on artificial turf, so there will need to be adaptation. Hajduk is the better team and should go through. I wish them that from the bottom of my heart."
GNK Dinamo announced the match on social media with the message: "You'll be at Maksimir at 8 PM, right?" and invited fans to buy remaining tickets, while photographer Luka Stanzl captured the atmosphere from the final training session before the clash.
