Rudé: We worked very hard to be ready for situations like this

Wisła needs to quickly switch from the Polish Cup to the league. On Monday, they will play Zagłębie Sosnowiec, and as usual, coach Albert Rudé met with journalists before the match.

The White Star team has reached the final and the celebration in Warsaw and on the main square in Krakow. Which moment does the coach remember most? "I can't point to one moment; there were many small moments that I enjoyed immensely," he replied.

The entire team was in Warsaw except Billel Omrani. Why? "It was my decision. In our locker room, we have principles that we rely on. This also applies to commitment. If you don't follow them, you're out of our locker room. It's simple..." he said. "Let's remember the principles that apply. The first is: believe in your players. The second is: push them. Then evaluate and make a decision. And that's what I did. I made a decision. I don't think he'll play here again," he added.

David Junca didn't play in the Polish Cup final. This was the reason for his absence. "It's a similar situation to Angel Rodado and his shoulder. It all depends on how the treatment progresses," he replied curtly.

After a match like the one in Warsaw, will it be the hardest thing to maintain your concentration? "Yes, after the final, the next match is a challenge. We have to remember what happened last season. We have to remember that if you're not 100 percent focused, you won't be up to the challenge," he noted.

"The Krakow team had just three days to prepare for the league match. When asked if that was enough time, the coach replied: 'I don't want to say that three days are enough after a match like that and the extra time we had to play. However, we have to use what we have without any excuses; we worked very hard to be ready for these situations. We have a match ahead of us, and we have to play it properly.'"

How many changes should we expect in the lineup compared to the match against Pogoń? "We've played over 127 minutes. The players even ran about 14-15 kilometers. We need to create a situation where the players are assessed and have their energy saved for the next match," he said.

What kind of opponent is the coach expecting on Monday? "Generally, we're talking about a situation where all teams want to do their best against Wisła. They're waiting for us to perform well against us. We have a tough match ahead of us. It doesn't matter who we play. Even if it's a team from the bottom of the table, they'll want to do their best against Wisła," he continued.

Was the 24-hour rule broken with the Polish Cup win? "There was no exception. 24 hours, and that was all the celebration," he announced. Clubs don't usually throw celebrations during the season, but this was different. Isn't the coach afraid it will negatively impact the team? "No, because if you win something, you have to celebrate for 24 hours. There hasn't been a Polish Cup here since 2003, so we had to celebrate. But after 24 hours, we forgot about it and got back to work. We have four challenges ahead of us, and we hope there will be more. So we have to forget about what we've done and focus on what's ahead," he continued.

So was there a headache after celebrating? "I'm a guy who always gives 100 percent. When I celebrate, I give 100 percent. And when I work, I give 100 percent," he said.

Anton Chichkan lined up between the posts against Pogoń Wisła. Why this decision, and how does the coach assess his performance? "This is a situation that generally applies to all positions. I try to use the player who is best at the moment. He has achieved a very good level. He had experience playing in finals, including in penalty kicks, and I felt the team needed him in this match. However, it was exactly the same situation as in any other position. Anton played at a very good level. Just like all the other players in this match," he explained.

When asked if Patryk Gogół hasn't been playing too individually lately, the coach replied: "Each player in our team has an individual development plan. Patryk is progressing very well through the various stages, although it's important to remember that he had a long-term knee injury. I think he's not at his best today. He's a player with the kind of personality and skills that can give the team something extra. He's a young talent, and we need to help him improve."

A flood of positive comments poured into the club after the Polish Cup final. Which one was the kindest to the coach? "It's the same situation... When you achieve something, you hear kind words, and when you don't, they're not kind words. Above all, I have to maintain balance and translate that into the team. We can't get carried away, lest we think we're already way up. This is especially important now; we have to maintain balance to move forward," he added.

Szymon Sobczak missed the match in Warsaw, receiving treatment. What's his current situation? "He has a problem with his foot; he was hit. He's undergoing tests. We'll evaluate him and see what the situation is like before the match," concluded coach Albert Rudé.