The head coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team, Sergej Barbarez, said at today’s (Monday) media conference that tomorrow’s World Cup play-off final match against Italy is just as emotional for him as the match in Koševo against the Danish national team in 2003, where BiH was just one goal away from qualifying for Euro 2004.
Barbarez, who then played in to the attack of the BiH national teambelieves that BiH the footballers were probably too emotional going into the match against the Danes, which is why in the end they did not manage to achieve victory and that the national team that he is now leading certainly won’t make the same mistake.
That was probably a minus from which we could not recover. It is certain that we will not enter the match against Italy in that way. This match is as important for Italy as it is for us, because to play in the World Cup it’s never a small thing, but we have to be aware that after that game we will go back to everyday life and continue our livessaid the selector.
He pointed out that he is one of the goals of the professional staff of the national team was to prepare this selection well, which was visible in the match against Wales, which was decided only after extra time and penalties.
We saw some players against Wales tormented by crampsbut they didn’t want to give up, so it is very important in all of this voluntary momentwhich this team certainly does not lackhe explained.
He emphasized that preparing for the match against Italy 90 percent is based on the game of his team and that he is only interested in Bosnia and Herzegovina. national team members and their style of play.
I don’t care what someone said from the side. We analyzed each other and that’s where the story endssaid Barbarez and added that all the players are healthy, although the match against Wales was exhausting.
Dzeko: “Italy knows who they are playing against”
Captain of the BiH national team Edin Dzeko looked back at celebration of Italian football players after they found out that they will play against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final. He does not see a problem in the reaction of the Italian footballers because he believes that it is a normal reaction of any athlete who has certain preferences.
Sometimes you have to be smarter because we know how social networks work today, but as far as I’m concerned, I don’t see any problem in their reactionsaid Dzeko.
He looked back on his long-term national team career and emphasized that a footballer’s career goes by quickly and added that “every moment should be enjoyed“.
Džeko notes that he played with a large number of Italian national team members who will play tomorrow against BiH and that, knowing the Italians, their national team will certainly do very well analyze the game of the BiH national team.
Italy know who they are playing against and will prepare well, it is certain that they will not underestimate us. They know we have quality and it won’t be easy for them. I hope that we will be at our highest level and that we will achieve victoryconcluded Dzeko.
Barrage final for the World Cup in Canada, USA and Mexico between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy will be played on Tuesday at the “Bilino Polje” stadium in Zenica starting at 20:45.
(Fena | Photo: Amer Kajmović / Fena)
