The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is ready for the knockout stage match of the World Cup against the United States, which will be played on July 2 at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
Ahead of the match with the second of the three hosts of this year’s World Cup, the coach of the Bosnian team, Sergej Barbarez, emphasized that the team has a clear plan and, driven by a winning mentality, will give its last atom of strength to advance, reports Fena’s correspondent from the World Cup.
At a press conference, Barbarez emphasized that the Americans are objective favorites in this match, but that this does not represent any burden to the Bosnian team.
“Of course, they are favorites, both because of their position in the rankings, the fact that they are playing on home soil, and also because of the kind of team they have. However, it is not a problem for us at all that we enter this match from the position of outsiders. We have thoroughly analyzed them, we have made a clear plan for tomorrow’s match and we are really looking forward to having the opportunity to play against such an opponent,” said Barbarez.
During the tournament, the “Dragons” have already met with one host of the competition, so they are familiar with the specific pressure and environment that awaits them.
“We know what kind of atmosphere awaits us, but that is just one more reason to enjoy it and I am always in favor of being a part of such matches. I always repeat to the players that this is temporary and that one day it will be just an experience and a memory, tomorrow will be a new day regardless of the result and that they should enjoy this. Around 70,000 spectators in the stands will be there for us. It is precisely because of all our people, both here and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that it is worth leaving the last atom of strength on the field. We want to maintain the approach and willpower that brought us to this stage of the competition,” emphasized the coach.
“When asked about the disparaging statements from the American media and former national team players like Tim Howard, the Bosnian strategist remained quite indifferent. I don’t want to comment on people I don’t know. Such disparaging remarks are just a result of today’s culture and the influence of social media. Honestly, it doesn’t affect me at all, and we don’t need such things as some kind of additional motivation for the game – he said shortly.
Referring to the role of Esmir Bajraktarević in the team, Barbarez explained that his engagement is an excellent indicator of the recent policy of finding talents from around the world who want to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is an extremely cultured guy who knows exactly why he is here and strongly feels the weight of the coat of arms he carries. He brings us that special touch of American culture. We have guys from all over the world on the team, and our greatest advantage is that we have managed to combine all these different mentalities into one harmonious whole,” he emphasized.
Speaking about the health of the team, he reminded that such a demanding competition can lead to excessive fatigue.
On such a long journey, there are always tired players who need a day or two of rest. It is solely my decision to spare them the effort when I assess that we cannot take risks, which was the case with Amar Dedić in the last match. From the beginning, we believed in passing the group and we knew that we would need him to continue the tournament – he explained.
Finally, commenting on the unofficial title of the best-dressed coach at the championship, and the anticipation after the final whistle, the coach said with a smile that representing his homeland with dignity is extremely important to him.
For me, emotions always go in the opposite direction, when the result is good, I am very serious, and when it is bad, I laugh. I would like my facial expression to be serious after this match, and at the same time to watch my players truly rejoice – concluded Barbarez.
