Osijek hosts Lokomotiva at Opus Arena on Saturday in their first home match of the season, with coach Federico Bessone openly discussing ambitions for a return to European competitions.
At a press conference held on August 13, 2026, Osijek coach Federico Bessone made no secret of his expectation that his team will qualify for Europe. The Argentine tactician stated that this very ambition is the reason he joined the club.
"I don't know where we'll finish, and it's hard to predict right now. I'm an ambitious person, and I hope that next summer we can play in European qualifiers. If I didn't believe in that, I wouldn't be here," Bessone said, as reported by Index.hr.
Osijek opened the new SuperSport HNL season with away matches in Turopolje, where they defeated Gorica 2:0 and Rudeš a convincing 6:1. After those two triumphs with a maximum of six points, they welcome Lokomotiva on Saturday at 9:00 PM at Opus Arena, a team that also has a perfect record.
Bessone is aware that his team faces their toughest test so far. "This will be a difficult and very interesting match for us. Both we and they are in good form with two wins. I've watched both of their matches, and I like how they play. They have strong character and are dangerous in transition," said the Osijek coach.
The match will be broadcast on Max Sport 1, and there is great interest in Slavonia for the team's first appearance in front of home fans this season.
What pleases Bessone the most is the change in the players' approach. He told the club's official website: "This is the mindset we want to create. We want to work and improve. We've always had talent and quality; what was missing was exactly this mindset." He added that he is delighted with what he sees in training because it confirms the team's potential, and he specifically highlighted the "hungry kids" eager to prove themselves.
Despite convincing wins in the first two rounds, the Osijek coach warns there is no room for complacency. "That means we have to stay focused for all 90 minutes. We may have looked more convincing in previous matches, but the table shows we have the same number of points, and we can't afford any relaxation," he said.
Bessone also touched on the situation with Matej Mitrović, the former Croatian international who is training with Osijek. "He's training with us, and I want to see him over some time before making a final decision. I'm satisfied with the squad I currently have. It's important that the players are fully committed and have their heads in Osijek," Bessone concluded.
He added that he hopes there will be no departures or injuries and that it's crucial to continue with the same approach as so far.
