Mariusz Jop before #STAWIS: We always play to win

Wisła Kraków faces their final test before the playoffs. In the 34th round of the Betclic I Liga, they will face Stal Rzeszów away. Below is the transcript of the press conference preceding this important match. #STAWIS

The press conference began with a question about Wiktor Biedrzycki's absence in his latest medical report. Does this mean the defender will be ready for tomorrow's match? "We still have training today, and then we'll make a final decision. However, we're pleased that Wiktor has returned to training. He's not fully trained yet – he's working with the team, but he's not doing all the drills. Today's training will be a test for him. After that, we'll assess whether he's ready to be considered for the matchday squad, and perhaps even to play from the start," coach Mariusz Jop began, explaining.

With tomorrow's match against Stal Rzeszów looming, coach Mariusz Jop will have to make a decision regarding the youth player's squad. Patryk Letkiewicz, Maciej Kuziemka, and Filip Baniowski remain at his disposal. "The decision has been made, and the players are already aware of it," the White Star coach said curtly. The youth player was one of the key issues discussed during the press conference before the match against Stal Rzeszów.

One journalist suggested that starting Patryk Letkiewicz in goal seemed the most sensible solution. How did coach Mariusz Jop react to this opinion? "We have four very good goalkeepers. We also have Anton, who is performing well in training and played a very good match for the reserves, practically saving the match," he emphasized. "However, it's known that only two players can be in the matchday squad, and only one on the pitch. Obviously, I won't reveal who will be in goal today, but I can say that it's a position we can be really happy with," the Wisła coach commented.

Continuing the topic of goalkeeping, coach Mariusz Jop was asked if Anton Chichkan wasn't, in a sense, a "victim" of the current regulations regarding the limit on foreign players. "Well, of course, the regulations are what they are, and we have to take them into account," admitted the coach. "However, from a coach's perspective, I'm happy that I have many options. Of course, a few players will be unable to play tomorrow due to suspensions, but we still have a wide selection. This affects the quality of training, and then translates into the players' form. For me, this is positive news; we have a really strong squad," Jop emphasized.

The next question during the press conference concerned the midfield situation. Wisła will have to cope without Marko Poletanović and Kacper Duda in the upcoming match in Rzeszów. How does coach Mariusz Jop plan to solve this personnel problem? "Of course, we had some time this week to work through various options and tested several solutions. We already have the final ones, we know what the midfield line will look like, but – understandably – I won't reveal that before the match," noted the Wisła coach.

Wisła Kraków's players face a crucial match – the final round of the Betclic 1. Liga regular season before the playoffs. The result of tomorrow's match could determine their final position in the table. A victory means the White Star has a chance to finish third, while a draw could secure fourth. What is the team's attitude in this situation? "I think the players and we as a team have already shown that we can mobilize for every match. I'll refer to the last match – the result was high, but you always have to confirm that on the pitch. There's no other way. We're fully mobilized for the next match, without calculations, without dwelling on what will happen in a few days. It's a trap – if your mind wanders too far into the future, you can lose what's most important: the here and now. I also agree that regardless of the situation in the table, we always play for victory, especially if a higher place is at stake," emphasized Mariusz Jop.

Stal Rzeszów is a team built around its own homegrown players, with a clear emphasis on developing young Polish players. In the last five matches, the Rzeszów team has been outplayed by their rivals, but despite this string of defeats, coach Mariusz Jop sees positive aspects in the project being implemented by Wisła's closest rival. "I wouldn't want to discuss Stal's strengths or weaknesses here, but the project itself is very interesting. I think it's a good place for young players to develop," noted the White Star coach. "You can see they have a lot of trust from the coaching staff and the people who manage the club. The thing about youth is that if a team catches the right moment, like at the beginning of the season, they can play really well – Stal was high in the table back then, playing attacking, open football. They've maintained that to this day – they're still a very attacking team. Of course, they have their defensive problems, conceding a lot of goals. That's a characteristic of young teams – when things are going well, emotions carry the team, but when times get tough, lack of experience can be a challenge. Older players can take responsibility in those moments and help the team," added Jop. "However, as always, we're focusing primarily on ourselves. If we're well prepared – mentally, physically, and tactically – we can win this away match," concluded the Wisła coach.

In the context of an earlier discussion about the team's mentality and experiencing matches together, a question was asked whether players who were unable to play in Rzeszów due to injury or suspension would also travel with the team to the final league match of the regular season. "I think so," replied coach Mariusz Jop succinctly.

Due to the recent health issues of the White Star's central defenders and the return of Igor Łasicki and Joseph Colley to the squad, a question was raised about possible player movements – particularly whether Bartosz Jaroch could play as a centre-back if necessary. "Indeed, if we were to consider the worst-case scenario that some cards or injuries would cause one, or even two, of the three centre-backs we currently have at our disposal to be dropped, there's no other solution than moving players," admitted Mariusz Jop. "Either full-backs to the centre-back position, or someone from the six position, so we won't invent anything here, we won't discover anything new. However, I hope that won't happen."

Some Wisła Kraków players – including Bartosz Jaroch, Igor Łasicki, and Wiktor Biedrzycki – are on the verge of suspension due to their yellow card count. Should they receive another warning in the match against Stal Rzeszów or in the play-off semifinals, they could miss the eventual final. How does coach Mariusz Jop approach this situation? "There are also players with two yellow cards, such as Zwoliński and Sukiennicki, who also face a similar scenario," admitted the White Star coach. "Of course, we'll pay attention to it, but this is a match we want to win, and we can't focus on not touching the opponent, because that's not the solution either. We're going there to win. Of course, the players can't pick up silly cards – I mean gesticulating or talking to the referee – because we don't want that. However, if such a situation occurs when the team needs to be saved, then it's acceptable. Of course, the players know they have to be careful about that," stated the Kraków Wisła coach.

At the end of the conference, a question was asked about Mariusz Kutwa and his possible return to the pitch this season. "At this point, it seems like a slim chance," Mariusz Jop concluded.