Hajduk secured their first win of the new SHNL season in Velika Gorica, and coach Gonzalo Garcia didn't hold back in criticizing the slow pace of the domestic league compared to European competitions.
Hajduk celebrated a 2:1 victory against Gorica in the last match of the 3rd round of the SHNL, securing their first win of the new season. The Split side took the lead in the 3rd minute when Michele Šego scored for 1:0, but Gorica equalized from a penalty in the 78th minute through Bruno Bogojević. Marko Livaja secured the win for Hajduk with a goal in the 87th minute.
Hajduk's coach Gonzalo Garcia didn't hide his satisfaction with the win but emphasized how demanding it is to play in such a tight schedule.
"A very tough match. It's not easy playing every three days. You saw it in the second match today in the SHNL as well. We came back after 1:1, and I'm proud of everything the players are doing. They're doing great under difficult circumstances, and we'll fight to do well in Europe, which is our main goal," Garcia told Sportklub.
Garcia also clarified the situation with Luka Acapandie, whom he substituted during the match.
"We didn't want to take any risks with him. Nothing serious happened. Luka came into the game."
In a second statement to DalmacijaDanas, he added that Acapandie had some discomfort and that they didn't want to push anyone to avoid injuries.
When asked how Hajduk would compensate for the potential departure of Rokas Pukštas, Garcia emphasized the importance of the team over the individual.
"I'm happy because Rokas is progressing. He still has room to improve. If he leaves, we have other players. Mlačić also left, but the team is what matters most. Rokas is important to us, but we'll move on."
Hajduk seemed less intense against Gorica than in their European clash with Žalgiris, and Garcia explained how much the congested schedule affected that.
"We played 72 hours ago. Maintaining a high tempo in every match in this rhythm is not easy. It also depends on the opponent. We controlled the match at 1:0, waiting for the chance to make it 2:0."
The most interesting moment of the press conference came when asked who should lead Hajduk's attack in the upcoming match against Raków. Garcia responded with a counter-question and directly criticized the slowness of the domestic league.
"What do you think? The league is slow, there's no pace, it's much different than in Europe. In Europe, it's a different sport. The ones we think are best will play. The match lasts 90 minutes, and it can go to 120 minutes. There are five substitutions, almost half the team can be changed."
In the version for DalmacijaDanas, his message was even harsher: "This league is much slower than the one in Europe. We must not think about who will start; it all depends on certain moments when, for example, one player is better. If we think about who will start and don't do things right, that probably leads us to s**t."
Garcia praised both strikers, noting that they are different types of players and that one or the other will play depending on the match.
"Livaja scored a goal, Šego did too. We're lucky to have both, even though they're different. Depending on the match, one or the other can play."
