Garcia Announces Team for Poles, Then Speaks About Livaja
Hajduk coach Gonzalo Garcia spoke to the media about the match against Rakow, the team's form, and rumors of captain Marko Livaja's stolen bicycle.
Hajduk coach Gonzalo Garcia spoke to the media about the match against Rakow, the team's form, and rumors of captain Marko Livaja's stolen bicycle.
Ahead of the first Conference League playoff match against Polish side Rakow at Poljud, Hajduk coach Gonzalo Garcia and player Šimun Hrgović held a press conference. The main topic was the historic opportunity for the club to reach the group stage of a European competition for the first time in 16 years, with particular attention drawn to a question about rumors that captain Marko Livaja had his electric bicycle stolen. The winner of the two-legged tie will secure European football in the autumn, while the loser will focus on domestic competitions. The match takes place on Thursday at 9 PM with live coverage on HDTV.
Šimun Hrgović, who is expected to start on the left flank, emphasized the importance of home advantage. "It gives us a boost of confidence and is a sign that we need to keep working. We want to keep a clean sheet and score as many as possible," said Hrgović. He also commented on the coach's trust: "The coach's faith means a lot to me, but I have to justify it from match to match. Still, I can be better."
Commenting on the opponent, Hrgović said: "They're good; they played in Europe last year if I'm not mistaken. That means something." He also touched on the difference in performances at home and away, recalling the last-minute goal against Pafos: "After that, we decided to show who we are and what we are even away from home. It's all about mentality, and I think we've managed to change it."
Gonzalo Garcia confirmed that the team is healthy after the match in Gorica, where they secured three points. "We're good, motivated, and happy," he said. He added that they had a tough match in Velika Gorica behind them but had an extra day of rest and more time to prepare for the European match than they usually have in the HNL. About Rakow, he said: "Rakow has the identity of competitors, and that's why they achieve all this. They've been competing very well in Europe for years. They know how to suffer, they sit in a low block, and when they press, they're very strong." He specifically warned about set pieces: "Set pieces will be important because they're excellent at them." He added that the Poles finished second in the Conference League last season and conceded only two goals, meaning their matches are always tight and there isn't a player who isn't active. He also noted that Rakow can play in multiple ways, pressing high and being aggressive, or sitting in a low block and closing spaces.
Asked if this is the most important match of his coaching career, he replied: "I'm young, I don't know if it is? If we get through, Hajduk will be in Europe after 16 years. Well, every match is important; we're in that vicious circle." Garcia also revealed what Graf told him about Rakow: "He lifted them and promoted them from the third division, I know that. We talked; I know it's a young club that is already very, very high in Poland." Sporting director Robert Graf helped the Polish club from the third division, and they built a structure and mentality that brought them to great levels.
The coach also spoke about Dennis Hadžikadunić, whom he described as a defensively oriented player with a lot of experience. "He's good, but he's not in form. We need to build him up in the coming period. He'll bring us a lot in defense, and we can't wait for him to get ready," said Garcia. He added that Hadžikadunić played for good clubs and is a classic center-back, but he just arrived and will need time, and they won't be able to count on him for a while. When it was noted that Hajduk wants to bring in four more players, he replied: "We need players in every line because we let a lot of players go. But we need quality. It's easier now than it was at the start of the transfer window."
The most interesting moment of the press conference was the question about rumors that Marko Livaja had his electric bicycle stolen. Garcia admitted he didn't know about it: "I didn't know that. I don't know if it's true or not." He added that he doesn't believe the captain would stress about it: "I don't know about that, but I don't think he'll stress about anything. I'll see if he plays, but I see him happy and more connected with the team than before. Of course, I'm happy about that." He also emphasized that Livaja is doing well and came into the match against Gorica well, which makes him happy, and what people say around isn't always true.
Garcia also commented on the congested schedule, noting that Hajduk has already played ten matches. "It's not good that we can't postpone a match. We've already played ten matches, that's why we sometimes suffer. We'd also like to postpone one, but we can't do that," he said. He also commented on the fact that Rakow postponed their league match against Gornik, emphasizing that a rest would do Hajduk good and that progressing in Europe is more important than winning in the league. He announced that the return leg against Rakow will be the most important: "It will tell everything."
