Legia Icon Opens Up to Poles About Livaja: 'He Makes the Biggest Sacrifice on the Bench'
Ivica Vrdoljak, former Legia Warsaw player, analyzed Hajduk for TVP Sport ahead of the clash with Raków and spoke candidly about Marko Livaja.
Ivica Vrdoljak, former Legia Warsaw player, analyzed Hajduk for TVP Sport ahead of the clash with Raków and spoke candidly about Marko Livaja.
Ahead of Thursday's match at Poljud, where Hajduk hosts Polish side Raków in the Conference League playoff, attention from both sides remains intense. Polish media, led by TVP Sport, sought the opinion of Ivica Vrdoljak, a former Dinamo midfielder who moved to Legia Warsaw in 2010 and left a deep mark there, amassing nearly 200 appearances for the club.
Vrdoljak spoke to TVP Sport about the pressure surrounding the Split club. "Hajduk has been waiting for the league title since 2005 and for European success since 2011, and this two-legged tie with Raków is treated as a unique opportunity to break that drought," he explained.
He also added a sharper assessment: "A specific club that doesn't tolerate criticism, wants to be treated like Dinamo, but has been unable to win a title for over 20 years. For comparison, Rijeka has managed it twice."
He also highlighted issues he sees in the Polish team: "I'm surprised that Raków opened the season with three defeats, each time 1-2. I watched them against Śląsk; they didn't have to lose. They led 1-0 but conceded goals at the end. On Sunday, they also took the lead first, but Cracovia turned it around. Raków lost key players before the season, such as Zoran Arsenić, Ivi Lopez, and Jonatan Braut Brunes, and coach Marek Papszun also left. The team is practically being rebuilt, and several players are still injured."
About Hajduk's biggest star, Marko Livaja, Vrdoljak had an interesting opinion rarely heard in Croatian media. He recalled his arrival five years ago and compared it to his current status.
"When he arrived five years ago, he was the best player in the Croatian league; now he's in the Top 3. With him, Hajduk achieves the same results as before. No titles, and in Europe they get eliminated in qualifiers. In 21 European appearances in those years, he scored only one goal, too few for a team leader. He lacks pace and stamina, but he's still dangerous when Hajduk plays in the opponent's half. If the coach puts him on the bench, which happens more and more often, then he makes the biggest sacrifice for the club."
Vrdoljak also reminded of Hajduk's long-standing European failure: their last group-stage appearance was in the 2010/11 Europa League, where they finished last in a group with AEK, Anderlecht, and Zenit. Since then, they have been eliminated in qualifiers fifteen times in a row, with teams like Georgia's Dila Gori, Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv, Kazakhstan's Tobol, Slovakia's Ružomberok, and last season Albania's Dinamo Tirana among those who knocked them out.
Vrdoljak also explained Gonzalo García's team's style to the Poles: "They patiently build attacks, always press high after losing the ball. They play modern 'Spanish football.' They are stronger going forward than defensively, and away from home they are worse than at home."
Despite all the flaws he listed, the former Dinamo player clearly stated who he supports in this tie: "I'd like them to go through, not Raków." He also stressed that the chances are even: "Hajduk's advantage is the home ground and the atmosphere in Split. On the other hand, Raków has European experience and knows how to play such matches."
