Tudor: My Heart Started Racing at Poljud
The captain of Raków and former Hajduk player previewed Thursday's Conference League playoff at Poljud. He admits it's emotional but stresses that the focus is solely on advancing.
The captain of Raków and former Hajduk player previewed Thursday's Conference League playoff at Poljud. He admits it's emotional but stresses that the focus is solely on advancing.
Fran Tudor, captain of Polish side Raków and former Hajduk player, previewed the first leg of the Conference League playoff on Wednesday, which takes place at Poljud on Thursday. The winner of the two-legged tie will secure European football in the autumn, while the loser will turn their attention to domestic competitions.
Tudor did not hide his emotions ahead of returning to the place where he began his senior career. "I'm excited, happy, and proud," he said in his opening remarks, and when asked about his feelings about playing against his former club, he answered honestly.
"It doesn't matter to me, but it will be really nice to play against Hajduk. It will be emotional; as soon as I was approaching Poljud, my heart started racing."
Despite the sentimental note, Tudor emphasized that he and the team are fully focused on the sporting goal. "Right now, we are most concentrated on qualifying for the Conference League," the Polish side's captain said.
When asked if Raków has an advantage in the tie, he was decisive: "We will do everything so that Raków is the one that goes through."
Asked about his physical condition, Tudor revealed that he is recovering from a shoulder injury and that his participation is not yet certain. "I'm slowly getting back, I hope I'll play. It all depends on training; we'll see how the shoulder reacts," he stated.
He also touched on the possibility of returning to Hajduk in a different role but did not want to rule anything out. "Life writes all sorts of stories; we'll see."
When asked to pick the best moments in the Split club's shirt, Tudor cited those that marked him at the start of his career. "It's hard for me to say; I remember above all the people who work here. I must also single out my debut and the goal against Dinamo in the derby."
He added that in the Raków dressing room, they haven't talked much about Hajduk until the match itself. "We only had our first meeting today; we were focused on Cracovia. Everyone knows what Hajduk represents."
