Conference after #RAPWIS

This wasn't the kind of match Wisła Kraków envisioned in Vienna, losing 6-1 to Rapid in the second leg of their Europa League second qualifying round tie. Coach Kazimierz Moskal assessed the match played at their opponent's home ground.

"Well... what comment can you make after a match like that? I think Rapid were definitely better, which they proved especially in the first half. They had a decisive advantage, controlled the match, and ended up leading 5-0 at halftime, and promotion was essentially decided," began coach Kazimierz Moskal. "It must be said clearly that I take full responsibility for this. If someone thinks the starting eleven shouldn't have been what they needed, that it was a mistake to field such an eleven and that the second half was better because of it, then I don't shy away from responsibility, but it often happens in matches that when you have a big lead at halftime, the game looks a bit different afterwards. There were some changes in the Rapid team as well, and that's probably why the second half looked like this," he added.

What words were said in the locker room during halftime? "Of course, in a situation like this, no one in the locker room is thinking about winning the match, but about finishing the second half with honor and with the smallest possible loss. These are things that happen not only in European competitions, but also in the league. It's a truly difficult moment. The players felt it themselves. There was no point in using any harsh words there. The situation itself spoke volumes," he revealed.
Joseph Colley left the field injured and on a stretcher. What's wrong with the defender? "Generally, the problems we've had aren't getting any better, they're only getting worse. Joseph likely tore his Achilles tendon. Then there's Igor Sapała, who has a shoulder problem. These problems are serious for us. The only way to recover from a match like this is to play another match. We have to do everything we can to win this Sunday's match in Pruszków, with the people we have at our disposal," he noted.

When asked if the best way to compensate was to win in Pruszków, the coach replied: "I think so. We talked about it in the locker room right after the match. That will be the most important thing. Above all, our key task will be to play Sunday's match the way we wanted to, as a thank you to our fans who were here."

The fans in Vienna didn't disappoint, turning out in droves to support the team throughout the match. "I can only thank the fans once again for showing up in such large numbers and supporting us even in such a difficult moment, when we were losing 5-0 at halftime. And yet, their voices were still audible, and that was definitely the biggest positive from this match," he continued.

Can such a defeat benefit the players, and can any conclusions be drawn? "I don't want to be cliché here, saying we need to draw conclusions, analyze, etc. It was simply obvious... Football is an eleven-on-eleven game, but it comes down to duels. If you have better players, a better team, it's sometimes hard to compete. I mentioned that too. The trick is to play another match at a similar level after such a match, to erase the very bad impression from that cup match against Rapid," he concluded.