Bessone: We Want to Bring the Fans Back to the Stands and Can’t Wait to Step onto the Opus Arena Pitch

After two away matches and convincing victories at the start of the season, the White and Blues are preparing for their first match at Opus Arena. The interest among the fans is already evident, while the scenes of queues at the stadium ticket offices have only added to the anticipation ahead of the first home fixture. Federico Bessone has singled out bringing the fans back to the stands as one of his first wishes upon arriving in Osijek.

That is what we wanted. We are excited about the first home game of the season, and I am sure the fans will support us, whatever happens, from the first minute to the last. For the players, that will not be pressure, but an additional incentive to be even better.

A mentality that is built every day

The good performances at the start of the season have brought optimism, but our head coach does not want the team to stray from the approach that was clearly visible in the first two rounds.

That is the mentality we want to create. We want to work and improve. Sometimes in football you also need a bit of luck, and through our work we want to force that luck to come our way. We will continue working in the same way as we have so far. We already had the talent and quality; what was missing was precisely that mentality. I am pleased with what I see in training and in matches because I have received confirmation that this team has potential. There are many “hungry youngsters” who want to prove themselves.

Bessone will not allow the good performances in the opening two rounds to lead to even the slightest complacency. As he says, he has analysed Lokomotiva in detail and expects a demanding encounter.

It will be a difficult and very interesting match for us. Both we and they are in a good moment, with two wins to our name. I watched both of their matches and I like the way they play. They have a strong personality and are dangerous in transition. That means we have to be focused for all 90 minutes. Perhaps we looked more convincing in our previous matches, but the table says we have the same number of points, and we must not allow ourselves to become complacent.

The ambition is there, but we are taking it step by step

Asked whether Osijek can return to the top four teams in the HNL, the coach did not want to make any big promises after just two rounds. However, he did not hide his own ambitions:

I don’t know where we will finish, and it is difficult to predict that from our current perspective. We will try to be as good as possible and work hard to convince both ourselves and the fans that we can do it. I am an ambitious person and I hope that next summer we can play in the European qualifiers. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t want to create pressure on myself or anyone else at the Club at this point, but that is something we want.

“We Can’t Wait to See a Full Stadium”

There is a special emotion in Bessone’s voice when he talks about the first match at Opus Arena. As a player, he performed in front of large crowds, and now he wants to experience that same feeling as the White and Blues’ head coach.

There couldn’t be a better moment. We are on a good run, and the fans are excited about what we have shown in our two matches so far. Our team is ready, satisfied and happy, and has good character. The most important thing is to continue working like this.

Mitrović Arrives on Trial and Trains with the Team

The head of football also commented on the status of Matej Mitrović, who joined us in training this week…

He is training with us, and I want to see him over a period of time before making a final decision. But I will say it once again – I am happy with the team I currently have, and we will see whether there will be any departures. Hopefully, there will be no injuries either. It is important to me that the players are fully committed, that their minds are in Osijek, and you can see that on the pitch.

The Team and the Stands Breathing as One Again

After two away matches, it is time to return home. On Saturday at 9 p.m., the White and Blues will step onto the Opus Arena pitch for the first time this season in front of their own fans. Two victories have brought optimism, and now the first home challenge awaits.

The team and the stands will breathe as one again.