Cabello Ahead of Poljud: It Won't Be Easy, but We're Optimistic
Istra 1961 visits Hajduk on Sunday in their 69th league meeting. Coach Javier Cabello is aware of the opponent's strength but believes in his team.
Istra 1961 visits Hajduk on Sunday in their 69th league meeting. Coach Javier Cabello is aware of the opponent's strength but believes in his team.
Istra 1961 players step onto the Poljud pitch on Sunday evening, where at 9 PM they face Hajduk in their 69th league encounter. Tradition heavily favors the Split side, who have recorded 38 wins in previous meetings, while Pula have celebrated 14 times, and 16 matches ended without a winner. However, the Green-Yellows have reason for optimism in the last three seasons - they have won three times away in Split, including their last visit to Poljud on January 25 this year.
This time, the situation is somewhat different. Hajduk's bench still features Uruguayan Gonzalo Garcia, but Istra 1961 is no longer led by Spaniard Oriol Riera, but by his compatriot Javier Cabello. This will be the new coach's first away game in the SHNL, after suffering a defeat to Lokomotiva at Drosina in his debut.
Cabello stated in the pre-match announcement that his team is ready, despite the loss in the previous round. "It's been a long week behind us during which we gave our all to prepare in the best possible way for Sunday's match. Training sessions went well, I'm satisfied with how the players worked, their reaction after the defeat, and now it's up to us to translate what we've practiced onto the pitch," said the Spanish coach.
He is aware of the opponent's quality, but also the challenge posed by the atmosphere at Poljud. "We're playing against one of the best teams in the league, with very good players led by an equally quality coach and his assistants. They compete in Europe, and that says a lot about them, and an additional challenge will be the fact that they'll play on their home turf in front of their home crowd that will carry them. In the atmosphere that will be created, they will certainly be at a high level, and if we want to compete with them and have a chance to get a win, we'll have to play at 100% of our capabilities. It won't be easy, but we're optimistic as we are before every other match," he added.
While Pula only played against Lokomotiva last Saturday, Hajduk completed three demanding matches within eight days. First, they traveled to Cyprus to face Pafos, then opened the domestic championship in Varaždin, and finally "popped over" to Lithuania where they convincingly beat Žalgiris. After two defeats and lackluster performances, the Split side finally showed the kind of performance fans expect in Lithuania.
Cabello, however, does not want to rely on opponent fatigue. "We always expect the opponent in their best possible form, and that's how we approach every match, and it's to be expected that this convincing win will fill Hajduk's players with additional confidence, and we need to be ready for that. We're playing against a team capable of scoring at any moment, and we'll have to stay focused for all 90 minutes on what we need to do on the pitch," he said.
He also commented on Hajduk's varied performances in recent matches. "Hajduk's team has shown itself in a different light in those matches, but their opponents were also of varying quality. You always have to consider the other team as well; the final result is often shaped by the fact that the opponent's play doesn't suit you at all, and it's hard to draw a parallel, while also separating league matches played for points from elimination matches in Europe," he explained.
This week, Istra 1961 lost Ayuma and Agada, who went on loan to Maritimo and Orijent 1919, but they weren't in the spotlight anyway. The good news is the return of Kumar and Rozić, who missed the match against Lokomotiva, while Maurić has partially made up for missed summer training with an extra week of training.
Cabello, however, did not want to reveal whether he will change the starting lineup. "All the players we have available are ready for Sunday's match, but at this moment I can't say with certainty whether the returning players have 90 minutes in their legs. Accordingly, we'll decide at the last minute who to trust and whether we'll make any changes to the starting lineup compared to the one that started against Lokomotiva," he said.
Finally, the Spanish coach commented on the hellish atmosphere awaiting his young team. "It's an atmosphere where players should enjoy, but also show ambition that, regardless of playing away and in front of many opposing fans, they are capable of achieving something. Football is played for the spectators, and if you want to become a professional player, you need to be able to handle such an environment, because it's just one step in development that every young player must go through in their career," Cabello concluded.
