Dinamo coach Mario Kovačević has announced the return leg against Kauno Žalgiris in Lithuania. Although the Blues carry a massive 5:0 lead from the first match, the strategist calls for seriousness and announces that the strongest lineup will take the field.
GNK Dinamo's footballers have traveled to Kaunas, where they will play the return leg of the third qualifying round for the Champions League against Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris on Tuesday, August 11, at 7 PM. After thrashing the opponent 5:0 in the first leg at Maksimir, the question of advancing to the play-off, where Norwegian side Viking awaits, seems settled.
However, coach Mario Kovačević wants no talk of complacency. At the pre-match press conference, he stated that his team is solely focused on another win, without any calculations based on the big lead from Zagreb. Kovačević will lead Dinamo for the 56th time in Kaunas.
"We won't think about the first result; we're only interested in a win," Kovačević said.
The Croatian champions' strategist is aware that Žalgiris will be a far more dangerous opponent on their home turf than they were at Maksimir. "Surely, the home side will be braver and more determined at home than they were at Maksimir. In that first match, we showed we are the better side, and our desire is only to confirm that tomorrow," Kovačević said, adding that he expects a good game and another victory for his team.
The coach confirmed that all players are healthy and ready for the clash, and that the atmosphere in the dressing room is at a high level. He also reflected on the early-season issues, expressing confidence that the team has put that period behind them. "I believe we've gotten past that, those problems we had. We're working to make it better. As the matches go by, we'll get better and better," he emphasized.
Although Dinamo also has a domestic league match against Rudeš on Friday, Kovačević is not inclined to make drastic changes to the lineup. "We won't overthink it. The strongest players available will start tomorrow, and then we'll see from there," the coach was clear, adding that all players will get minutes in the upcoming period.
Meanwhile, significant squad news has come from the club. The departure of striker Mounsef Bakrar has been officially confirmed, as he has continued his career with Egyptian side Al Ahly. "Now it's official: Mounsef Bakrar is no longer a GNK Dinamo player as of today. Dear Baki, thank you for everything!" the club announced on social media, wishing him luck in his new environment after scoring 18 goals last season.
On the other hand, young winger Patrik Horvat suffered a knee injury in Sunday's Ramljak final, which, according to unofficial information, will keep him sidelined for an extended period. Also, Raúl Torrente is not on the list as he is going on loan to French side Le Mans. Smail Prevljak, who made his debut in the first leg by coming on in the 86th minute, could get more playing time in the return leg.
Dinamo's expedition, which departed from Zagreb towards the Baltics at 11 AM, landed safely in Kaunas after a 90-minute flight. They were greeted by a more pleasant temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius, significantly lower than Zagreb's 30 during the first match, with around 20 expected tomorrow. They will also have the support of about 200 loyal fans at the away match.
