The new defender for the Blues made his debut in the 2-0 win against Slaven, and ahead of the clash with Kauno Žalgiris in the Champions League, he shared his impressions from the dressing room, reflected on his career, and announced his fight for a place in the team.
Stjepan Radeljić, the 28-year-old defender who joined Dinamo from Rijeka as a free agent this summer, made his first real appearance for the Blues in the 2-0 victory over Slaven Belupo. After getting symbolic minutes against Thun in the Champions League qualifiers, the coach trusted him from the start, and Radeljić shared his impressions with Večernji list.
"Well, everything is great, it was my first real match for Dinamo, and it was marked by a win. We finished the game with a clean sheet, and for us defenders, that's very important, and I'm more than satisfied with everything, my teammates, absolutely everything," Radeljić said. He also admitted to feeling some positive nerves: "There was a bit of that positive nervousness at the start of the match, but as the game goes on, it gets better, easier, you know you have to be at the right level."
Standing 201 centimeters tall, Radeljić has had a rich career before arriving at Maksimir. He played over a hundred matches for Rijeka and around 80 for Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova. He also wore the jerseys of Široki Brijeg, Zrinjski, Osijek, and other Stuttgart teams. His experience was further enriched by his appearance at the World Cup.
"The impressions are fantastic, I think there's nothing bigger than that, for me it's a huge experience, and the impressions are still settling in, from the organization, the stadiums, the atmosphere. The day before the match, there were many Bosnia and Herzegovina fans waiting for us in front of the hotel, the atmosphere was always buzzing, at every step, it all left a big impression on me, everything was truly special," Radeljić recounted his impressions from the World Cup.
Radeljić played in defense alongside Niko Galešić, with whom he already shared a dressing room at Rujevica. "It definitely helped me a lot; we played together when we narrowly missed out on the title with Rijeka, and now we're together again. Niko made my arrival at Dinamo much easier; we understand each other very well on the pitch," he said.
When asked about the differences between the two clubs, Radeljić highlighted: "The biggest difference is in the quality of the players; there are some organizational differences, but nothing drastic. Dinamo is an extremely well-organized club in that regard, but I can't say anything less complimentary about Rijeka either; everything there was also at a proper organizational level."
With his 201-centimeter height and rich experience, Radeljić is aware of the strong competition at the heart of the defense, where Dominguez, McKenna, and Galešić are also present. "They are all excellent players; they showed that last season when they won the double crown. But we all get along well, we work together, and there's no vanity here; we support each other," he said.
Dinamo has already secured European football in the autumn, and Radeljić believes in qualifying for the Champions League. "I believe we will enter the Champions League, which is a big desire for us, and there will be enough opportunities for all players during the autumn, and we all must make the most of the chances we get. The boss has already shown that he will rotate the squad quite a bit, and in training, he tells us that he trusts all of us and that we will get opportunities."
The next challenge is Kauno Žalgiris in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, a team led by Željko Sopić, Radeljić's former coach at Rijeka. "Well, we are the favorites, but they are a tricky team led by Željko Sopić, my former coach from Rijeka, but ultimately, it's up to us to decide who goes through; it's important that we show Žalgiris in the first match at Maksimir where they've come. We want a win with as big a margin as possible, although it will certainly be tough, just like against Thun," Radeljić announced.
He has only praise for Sopić: "He's good; under him, we achieved excellent results. A few rounds before the end, the title slipped away when Dinamo beat us at Rujevica. Sopić is a coach who has his own way and does what he thinks is right; he doesn't listen to others. I wish him all the best, but you know how it goes: all the best except in matches against us."
Meanwhile, Rijeka beat Rudeš 2-1 at Rujevica in the first round of the SuperSport HNL. Coach Matjaž Kek congratulated the players on the win after a tiring week but highlighted the problem with finishing. "A deserved win. But that's football; when you don't take your chances, you end up in a situation where one goal can cost you points. The only goal was the win and rhythm for some players," Kek said for Fiuman.hr.
He added that the team lacks concentration in the final third. "Imagine what it would be like if we weren't creating so many chances. We need more concentration. In the final third, I might lack a bit of aggression, but we're slowly coming together, giving more minutes to players who have trained less," Kek concluded, especially noting that he was more upset about the goal conceded than all the missed chances.
Radeljić concluded by saying that his personal goal is primarily to stay healthy and help the team. "I came into the Dinamo dressing room about 20 days ago, and my first goal is to help as much as I can, including the younger players; I want to perform at the right level when I get the chance. But my first wish is to avoid injuries, and then I'll try to make the most of every minute I get and help the team," he said.
