Coach Kovačević and Beljo: We respect Rijeka, but we believe we are better and can't wait for the match
Match preview
The victory against Hajduk at Maksimir Stadium with an 18-point lead has further ignited the already high spirits among Dinamo's players ahead of the Cup final. Marijo Kovačević's team awaits the season's grand finale – on Wednesday in Osijek at 6 PM, they will face Rijeka in the SuperSport Croatian Cup final.
– It's good, we have no worries regarding the league, we've sorted that out, we're looking at this match with optimism, I can see the players are positive, we can't wait to get started. We're playing against a quality opponent, you've seen that Rijeka is very good, they know how to play these types of matches. But I have no reason to doubt my players, we must give our best if we want to win. We're capable of it and I believe in victory – coach Kovačević emphasized.
What's the squad situation?
– Very good, everyone's here, ready, including Scott McKenna who had injury problems. Ismaël Bennacer feels good, we'll see if he'll start. We have good problems to have, in the Cup there are 20 players in the match squad. I told the boys, in a final everyone wants to win and it's tough if you don't, I have that experience. I want to help the players so we can be better.
Dinamo showed diverse attacking potential this spring, yet failed to beat Rijeka in those two spring matches. It was 0-0 at Rujevica and 2-2 at Maksimir Stadium.
– We need to forget the previous matches now. I think we were the better team at Rujevica then, we had chances but didn't score. We have quality players going forward, I believe that will be the day when we'll be efficient. I have no reason to doubt that. We know Rijeka is good, a tough team that plays for results, but we want to show that it wasn't by chance that we scored so many goals this spring – coach Kovačević added.
Maksimir striker Dion Drena Beljo thinks similarly, having found the net in Saturday's match against Hajduk in the Blues' 2-0 victory, scoring his 30th league goal of the season. Since summer, he has scored 37 goals in total across all competitions.
– This will be a completely different match from the four we played against Rijeka in the league. They're a strong team, and personally, the matches against them were perhaps the toughest for me. Rijeka is the toughest opponent we've had in the league. It will certainly be the same in the Cup final, I don't expect an easy match, but I believe in our quality. We're in good form, in this half-season we haven't lost a single match in the league and Cup and I believe we'll play like that until the end. I think we're better and we'll show that and win.
Beljo grew up in Slavonia, did family and friends have many requests for tickets?
– Yes, it's a big day for them too, everyone can't wait for the match. I distributed about fifty tickets, and there were so many requests that I could have given out more if I had managed to get them. There will be great support and I'll give everything to make them happy too.
A question about a potential national team call-up followed.
– I've answered that many times in the last month or two, nothing has changed, I stand behind everything I said. My job is to work, to play as best I can, to help the team as much as possible, and then we'll see if the coach puts me on the list. Nothing new there, nothing different – Beljo concluded.
