Jop: We are focusing on the next match

Coach Mariusz Jop met with journalists ahead of Tuesday's Polish Cup Round of 16 match. The White Star's opponent will be Polonia Warszawa.

Medical report - Joseph Colley, Bartosz Talar and Enis Fazlagić are unavailable.

"In terms of strategy, it will be easier to introduce the opponent because we won't have to go back to that, to the main game plan. Unless something changes on Tuesday, it will just be a reminder and we'll make any necessary adjustments. We're focused on the next match. We're going there to win, and as I've said many times, the first match, the next match, is the most important. We're approaching the trip to Warsaw the same way," coach Jop began.

As usual, during the Polish Cup match, a question was asked about changes to the squad: "As I said, Kacper Duda will definitely start, and that's all for now. As for the number of players, whether we'll be changing the goalkeeper, and whether we'll be making any other adjustments, the players haven't received that information yet, so I wouldn't want to discuss it here at the press conference." "We have three goalkeepers of similar quality. Three very good ones who compete against each other in training, which always gives a good boost. They work hard and are all considered for Tuesday's match, but we'll inform the players first, and then the public later. Everyone is going, though. We're going with a larger group of 24 players, including 21 outfield players and three goalkeepers – Anton, "Bródka," and "Letki." We have a slightly larger squad than usual," he added.

What kind of Polonia Warszawa is the coach expecting? "We don't know exactly how Polonia will react; they had a match the day before. Besides, they don't have an away game like we do. They played close, in Pruszków. So they had an extra day to recover. They usually made substitutions for cup matches. Does that change our preparations in any significant way? No, I think what's important for us is what we want to do. Of course, we always take our opponent into account, because it has to be said that Polonia has been playing very well recently. They may have lost their last match, but in the previous six, they've had four wins and two draws. This one was a home win against a fast-paced Ruch, so they're definitely an opponent who's currently in a good moment in terms of team play, scoring points, and being effective at home. We're prepared for a tough match, but of course, we always look at ourselves first and foremost and focus on what we want to do," he noted. "They're definitely a team that's dangerous on the counterattack and builds their attacks through a strong number nine." The striker is often the first target for a pass. He keeps the ball, and then they have very interesting wings, who always look for space behind the defense. The pattern is similar: a 4-3-3 formation in attack, 5-4-1 in defense. These are Polonia's main parameters, but we don't focus on it too much, because there have been many situations where the opponent has changed their formation very radically, like in the match against Wisła Kraków. That's why we focus more on our actions, on what we want to do, because we can't be completely sure that the opponent won't change their formation," he analyzed.

When asked if winning the Polish Cup final in May 2024 would inspire him to repeat the feat, he said: "It's history; I don't like to revisit the past. I rather try to focus on the here and now, that is, the training day and the next match. I think this approach is also better when it comes to match preparation. Because thinking we won last season won't help us concentrate on our tasks on match day," he noted. "It was definitely a great moment for the club, for the players. For many, winning the Polish Cup is a fantastic achievement, but now our goal is to focus on the next match. Of course, we want to win this match so we have the opportunity to do so in the spring," concluded Mariusz Jop.