Coach Jakirović: The boys have rested, are in good condition, and we are waiting for the new season with positivity

Rested, full of enthusiasm and on the wings of a great atmosphere from the previous season in which they won the triple crown and secured European spring. In such an atmosphere, Dinamo's coach Sergej Jakirović gathered the team before new challenges. The last game the Blues played was on May 26, and the new competitive year will start on August 3, which means that the gap between the two seasons is longer than two months. Dinamo has not had such a long break since 2002, so for a full 22 years.

On the coach's list at the beginning of the preparations are goalkeepers Ivan Nevistić, Danijel Zagorac, Ivan Filipović and Faris Krkalić, defenders Stefan Ristovski, Kevin Theophile, Dino Perić, Sadegh Moharrami, Takuya Ogiwara, Boško Šutalo, Maxime Bernauer, Moreno Živković, Ronael Pierre-Gabriel and Mauro Perković, midfielders Arijan Ademi, Martin Baturina, Josip Mišić, Marko Rog, Petar Sučić, Marko Bulat, Luka Stojković, Lukas Kačavenda and Luka Vrbančić and forwards Bruno Petković, Sandro Kulenović, Fran Brodić, Arbër Hoxha, Dario Špikić and Mahir Emreli. There are also nine players from the cadet and junior ranks: goalkeeper Antonio Rajić, defenders Noa Mikić, Leon Jakirović and Marko Zebić, midfielders Branko Pavić, Sven Šunta and Patrik Horvat and forwards Tin Miljak and Mislav Ćutuk.

- We have all rested, both physically and psychologically, I don't remember when there was such a long break between two seasons, I don't remember it as a player or as a coach. On Saturday we had a roll call, initial testing, the guys came in good shape so we can do everything we planned in these five weeks. They had three weeks of full rest, and then they received a program they had to do at home. By Monday we had two very good training sessions, we are soon going to a training camp in Austria where we will be for 10 days, then Bruno Petković, Martin Baturina and Arbër Hoxha will join us. We will play three friendly matches, the opponents are CSKA 1948, Beşiktaş and Kryvbas. Upon returning to Zagreb, we will continue with planned activities. We will have a match against Shakhtar and we are still looking for an opponent for July 23 - said coach Jakirović.

In the new season, Dinamo enters in good spirits after fulfilling all goals in the previous competitive year.

- It was excellent, and it's always easier when you achieve your goals. We are satisfied, this is the first time that we have immediately secured a spot in the group stage thanks to the fact that our coefficient has been increasing in recent years. We have the Champions League play-off ahead of us, and we have at least secured entry into the Europa League, so a minimum of 10 matches. Of course, we have to do everything to get into the Champions League, we will find out the opponent in the play-off on August 5. My goal is to enter the league in a quality way, to receive feedback before the European matches if we need to change anything. Of course, I thank the fans who supported us throughout the season, the celebration in the Square was fantastic, I believe that we will continue on the wave of that incredible support and positivity in the new season.

Journalists were also interested in the situation regarding possible reinforcements, such as Marko Pjaca.

– Of course, changes can be expected in terms of arrivals and departures, we are active on the market, working a lot, but more quietly, strategically. We are negotiating, sometimes not everything depends on us, I am in daily contact with the sports director Marko Marić. Pjaca? We are in negotiations. I have already said that he is of great quality, a product of Dinamo, we are definitely heading in that direction.

Meanwhile, some have left the club.

- Tibor Halilović's contract has expired, we thank him for everything he has done in the past season, and he was a piece of our success. Takuro Kaneko and Gabriel Vidović were with us on loan, we have been negotiating with their clubs, but so far we have not found common ground. The contract with Josip Drmić has also expired.

Also on the list are Marko Bulat and Boško Šutalo for whom the media announce an imminent departure.

- We are negotiating, reaching agreements... A good opportunity has arisen for both of them, for their progress, to experience a new level. This is a chance to place players in an even better league.

What positions is Dinamo looking for potential reinforcements?

- We have already talked about it, one player in each line, it also depends on who will leave. There are currently quite a few of us, but there is a possibility that someone else will come, especially wingers after Vidović and Kaneko are no longer here. A lot also depends on whether Petković will leave or stay. We are also looking for reinforcements in the last line.

Goalkeeper Ivan Filipović has signed for Dinamo, and journalists were also interested in whether Spanish defender Raul Torrente and Slovenian midfielder Adam Gnezda-Čerin are close to Maksimir?

- I led Filipović in Sesvete in the 2017/18 season when he was on loan from Lokomotiva. Later he returned from loan and then played for Slaven Belupo and Paris where he spent three years. His contract expired and that was the trigger for us to bring him in. I want us to have good competition in the team, Ivan Nevistić is number one, there is also Danijel Zagorac, and now Filipović who can breathe down their necks so that no one relaxes and he can jump in at any moment. Torrente? We'll see. We are working on bringing in players, everything is up in the air. It has already been communicated that an offer has been sent for Gnezda-Čerina, but as the Slovenian national team is playing very well in the Euros, there may be some changes - added coach Jakirović.