We were better from the first minute, maybe we didn't play entirely as we should have, but we scored two goals and had plenty of chances, highlighted Dinamo coach Mario Kovačević immediately after the 2-0 victory over Hajduk at Maksimir Stadium

– We managed to rest some players for the Cup final awaiting us on Wednesday against Rijeka, and that pleases us. Of course, we wanted to win, especially since we hadn't beaten Hajduk on this ground for a long time. But the most beautiful moment was when we were singing with our fans – they're satisfied with the match and that's what matters most.

Dinamo's strategist emphasized that his team will need to be somewhat better in the final.

– In the Cup we must be even better than in this match. And I know we can do that. Now we controlled the match, and if we needed to increase the tempo, we could have done so. What's important is that we won.

When asked about the excellent performance delivered by Ismaël Bennacer after coming off the bench, the Maksimir coach added:

– I'm pleased that he's like this before the final, that he's on track to be what we want him to be.

Young Marko Zebić played his third official match for Dinamo, but his first in the HNL.

– I'm not a populist who puts young players in just for the sake of it, but Zebić is the captain of the U-19 national team. However, we also have other good players in that position. Now when the opportunity arose for Zebić, he got it. He showed what we already knew – that he has a clear head, he played without problems. Well, everyone will get their chance, next season we'll have a young team again, Dinamo II. I'm really happy for Zebić, if anyone deserved a chance – it's him. He gives his all, plays well in all selections, I hope he'll continue like this.

If someone had told Dinamo's coach before the season that he would have as many as 18 points advantage at the top of the table at this moment, would he have believed it?

– I always believed in my team, in everything we were doing. Regarding the championship, there was a 'dip', but we were on track for what we wanted, especially in the spring part of the competition. We scored the most goals in the history of the 'Liga 10', and we know what kind of players, attackers Dinamo had in that period. Every new match is a new proving ground, what we've done so far has been good, but we're already focusing on the Cup final. I see great desire among the players to win two trophies in our first year together. But I must emphasize that we respect Rijeka, they know how to play for results, and we must play one or two gears higher compared to this match. And we can do that.

Journalists were interested in whether coach Kovačević thinks that national team coach Zlatko Dalić was watching Beljo's performances.

– I'm sure he was watching. Beljo shows his worth on the pitch, and it's up to the coach to choose. I have too much respect for the national team coach, he's made good decisions so far, I believe it will be the same in the future.

A question followed about whether it would be a bad message if the domestic league's leading scorer with as many as 30 goals were to be omitted from the national team squad.

– Luka Modrić and Eduardo da Silva also developed in the HNL, not to mention others... That's where they became players. Well, they didn't become players at 25. It's normal that they improved later. Beljo returned to the HNL as a young player, it was similar with Domagoj Vida who also returned to the HNL at the time and we know how much he later meant to the national team. Well, most of the players who won silver with the Croatian national team in 2018 played many years in the HNL, they didn't learn football somewhere else. If we don't value ourselves, then others won't either. We were second and third at the last two World Cups... And the national team coach is also from the HNL. I'm not saying this because I'm friends with the coach, but because he worked miracles with the national team, and that with a squad where 95 percent of the players are products of Croatian coaches and the HNL – concluded coach Kovačević.