Although the Sevaspor players have been struggling this season and have yet to win, their coach Reza Kalimbay is optimistic ahead of Thursday’s opening match of the European Conference League group stage against Slavia. His team and the people of Prague are the favorites to advance to the elimination stage.
“We are facing an opponent who has recently scored clear victories in the league like 4:0, 6:0 and 7:0. They are a dangerous team in every respect. From the first second we have to focus as much as possible,” Kalimbaye told a news conference. “The game with Slavia can end no matter what. The result was, they are very open. We are only thinking about scoring and getting points.”
The other two teams in Group G are Cluj and newcomer from Kosovo Balkany. Only the teams from the first places advance directly to the round of 16, and the second in the standings will face the third-placed clubs in the European League one round in the elimination stage.
“I think we will advance from this group. I think we and Slavia are the favourites. But we do not underestimate the other two teams either, because they are the champions of their country. In order to advance, we need to manage the matches at home. Any three points will put us in a favorable position.” .
“We can say that maybe the best team in the group is waiting for us. But we are also a good team. We play at home and always want to get three points,” said midfielder Charilaos Charisses.
Sevaspor has yet to win eight competitive matches this season and is 15th in the Turkish League. “We are improving in the last matches, the new players are gradually adapting. I think we will benefit from them. That is why I am convinced that we have what it takes to progress from this group. We are a strong team and I think,” said Calembe.
He hopes to support the fans in the stadium, which has a capacity of more than 27 thousand spectators. “The fans should stop whistling the players. No one comes to the field to play badly, everyone is trying their best. If the players whistle during the match, they are not safe. Tomorrow we will not only play for ourselves, but for the sake of ourselves,” added the adult coach. A fifty-nine-year-old who worked in a number of Turkish clubs, “the whole Turkish football. We need all the support.”
Hulch: We dream of the final in Aden
Tomáš Holeš, captain of the Slavic footballers, accepts the role of the favourite. According to the twenty-nine-year-old Czech representative, the fact that the final will be hosted by Eden Stadium next year motivates Prague residents even more before entering the main stage of the competition.
And the club’s website quoted the press release, “Given the circumstances, what we did in the European Cups, where we were able to reach any type of club, we accept the role of candidates.” conspiracy Holeš, whose team is waiting, in addition to Sivasspor, newcomer Cluj and Kosovar Ballkani in the group.
The opening Turkish contender has been struggling so far this season and has yet to win eight competitive matches. “We know they are not doing well, they haven’t won the league yet. That could be an advantage. They won’t be comfortable, worse mental state can affect them. On the other hand, this is Europe, which is a special competition, the match will be about something different. Exactly about the one Turkish league.”
“In the beginning, he was an opponent unknown to us, but we had a lot of videos. They play in a 4-2-3-1 system, they have excellent players, especially in attack. They are very good. They cross passes from the edges to the outstanding striker. And they have unpleasant standards.”
Prague residents dream of reaching the final of the competition that will be hosted by their stadium in Aden next June. Last year, the Slavs were eliminated in the quarter-finals. “The motivation is huge, it would be great. But we have to take it step by step. We had to get through the preliminary rounds, and now we have a group waiting for us. If we can win it, that would be great. But we are focusing on incremental steps for now only Thursday and Sivasspor.”
His team will try to improve the very unfavorable balance from the away cup matches. The people of Prague have won the European stage in only one of the last five encounters on opponents’ courts. “We’re not doing well abroad, that’s right, but I don’t know what it is. We don’t focus on balance, we’re preparing for Thursday like any other game,” added Hulse.
