Coach Kovačević and Dominguez: We are looking forward to the match, we want to confirm our role as favorites on the field

Twice in the history of UEFA competitions, Dinamo has visited Sweden, both times for a second leg match, and on both occasions the Blues celebrated passage to the group stage: in the summer of 2004 they entered the UEFA Cup group stage via Elfsborg, and in 2011 they reached the Champions League group stage through Malmö. A new challenge is set for this Thursday, Dinamo will visit "old acquaintance" Malmö at 9 pm...
They will face off in the 3rd round of the Europa League group stage with an interesting view of the standings:
Dinamo currently sits at the top with all six points, while the Swedish team, weakened by injuries, has remained at the bottom without a point in the first two matches...
– We can't wait for the match to start, we have rested, one more training session awaits us. The team is in good shape, the only problem is the absence of the injured Kevin Theophile who is not He traveled here. Mateo Lisica did not play in the last match against Osijek, but now he is in training. We will see with what lineup we will run out. Everyone is in good shape, we are looking forward to a new European match, these previous two have shown that we can play with everyone. I hope it will be the same now even though we know we are playing against a very good opponent. We know that Malmö is good regardless of the fact that in the first two matches of this season they did not score points. In the last league match they won, trying to get out of the crisis, they are especially good at home. They are a classic Scandinavian "home" team that plays fast, simple, vertically, directly... They know how to play, we will have to be at our highest level - emphasized Dinamo's coach Mario Kovačević. 

How does the coach from Maksimir see the opposing team?
– Lately they have been playing poorly, but they had a lot of injuries, now some players are returning and in that segment they are better. I say, we know they are a good team, and in the last five years they have been champions of Sweden four times... Of course, we will try to exploit some of their weaknesses that they showed in the last few games.
Swedish journalists were interested in how sorry Kovačević is that he cannot count on Ismaël Bennacer in European matches.
– Surely we miss such players, but we also have other quality individuals who can replace him well. So, that shouldn't be a problem.
Where would you place the Malmö team compared to the previous two European opponents – Fenerbahçe and Maccabi?
– I would place it, for example, between those two rivals. They are similar to Maccabi, they play as a team, individuals don't stand out. They have that pronounced Scandinavian approach, play with high intensity, they all act as one, they use two attackers. We are aware that we must respond adequately to that, they have good individuals, they have a coach from our region so they try to play on the ground. They are most dangerous because they play vertical football, their idea is to reach the opponent's penalty area as simply as possible, they also play with a lot of crosses.

There will also be many Dinamo fans in Malmö. - We are looking forward to a real football atmosphere, you saw how much the support of our fans means to us. I hear that all tickets for our fans are sold out, there will be many of them, we will do our best that they will be happy and cheerful even after the match.

Most Swedish media, as well as the actors themselves, push Dinamo into the role of the favorite. When asked by a journalist if he thinks the opponent is somewhat afraid of Dinamo, coach Kovačević replied:
– I wouldn't say they are afraid, but rather that they respect us as the biggest Croatian club.Dinamo has good European results, last year they played in the Champions League. We also know thatMalmö has had great results, played in the Champions League final. The teams are equal, butit is better for us to show on the field that we are the favorites. We are aware that Malmö is agood opponent, but we will not underestimate ourselves.
Can we classify this match, looking at the schedule and the difficulty of the opponents until the end of the competition, in the category where Dinamo should win?
– We want and "must" win in every match, we are aware of that. I wouldn't like to look at this match as a fateful one, that's not good. We are aware that our first two matches have given us a sign that we can do something in Europe. The next match is against Malmo, we aim for a positive result, I think we can compete against anyone.

Nenad Bjelica is the only coach who has opened the group stage of UEFA competitions with more than two wins with Dinamo. He has achieved four wins in a row, while Kovačević is the only one who has connected two wins at the very beginning.

- I believe we can repeat that, but it is clear that it is not easy to achieve. I am interested in playing well, continuing to earn points. Malmo is a good team, especially at their home ground, we will give our best to continue the winning streak.

Where was coach Kovačević that summer of 2011 when Dinamo surpassed Malmö in the Champions League play-offs? The best player of the return match was Dinamo's goalkeeper Ivan Kelava, who is now a member of the team's coaching staff. He performed brilliantly in Sweden and prevented Malmö from catching up with the lead from the first match. Dinamo celebrated a 4-1 victory in Zagreb, while the score in Sweden was 2-0 for the home team... - Now on the field, Kelava and I were talking about that match. Fans and media were calling him "Saint Ivan Kelava". I was an assistant coach of Varaždin at that time, watched both matches, cheered for Dinamo, and was happy after they advanced. Those were two different games, Dinamo could have won by more than just 4-1 in Maksimir. Everyone thought the return match would be easy, and that is what maybe worries me now, everyone is putting us in the role of favorites, and... We also have to show it on the field. It was difficult for Dinamo here in the return leg, Ivan maybe played his best game here. They deservedly entered the Champions League - concluded coach Kovačević.

Dinamo's defender Sergi Dominguez also spoke to the press.

"I feel very good, we will have to be a hundred percent focused on our goals, we want to win and stay in first place. I think it will mostly depend on us. If we are at our right level and show our game, everything will be fine. It means a lot to me personally." play these European matches. The truth is that last season I played for Barcelona in the Champions League, but I maybe played 15 minutes per game. Now I play more, I gatherminutes and experience.
Dominguez complements Scott McKenna brilliantly in the middle of Dinamo's defense.
– For me, he is a “half Spaniard” because he played in Spain last season, ha ha ha...
We work well together, complement each other, I have something in the game that he doesn't, and he has something that I don't. We communicate and collaborate very well on the field and off it.
Dominguez has been at Dinamo for four months, how does he evaluate this period, has he learned a few words of Croatian?
– I am happy here, I have realized how big Dinamo is, for this match sold All tickets are for our fans, that's great. As for the language, I have learned to say "good morning", "good day" and some expressions related to the game. I just started Croatian language lessons with a teacher on Tuesday. Maybe one day I will also do a press conference in Croatian, but that is still far away, ha ha ha...