Ahead of the crucial match for both national teams, Slovenia’s coach Matija Kek spoke to the media.
He emphasized Kosovo’s quality while asking for the support of fans in the stadium.
“This match is very important as it marks the end of the qualifiers. We must be aware of our responsibilities in a fully packed stadium. We highly respect the quality that Kosovo possesses, but we focus on our own strengths. We are conscious of our duties and I hope we have the support of our fans. Matches like this demand character on the field. I am very confident that we will perform well tomorrow,” Kek said during Friday’s press conference.
He also addressed the absence of Benjamin Šeško, who was injured last weekend in the match against Tottenham.
“I was pleased this week because we had good training sessions and recovery for players who needed it. We don’t have major injury concerns and will compensate for the absence of Šeško and the suspended Cheri. Injuries and suspensions are always part of qualifiers, but we have called up other players and will try to rotate accordingly,” the Slovenian coach added.
Kek also commented on Slovenia’s lack of goals in the last two matches.
“We are scoring fewer goals compared to the chances we create,” he noted, while highlighting that they know enough about Kosovo, “which is very strong in passing,” and that he has a plan to counter it.
“Plans A, B, and C are for the media. For me, the most important thing is how you react with or without the ball. If you know what to do in these situations, the team succeeds. Mistakes happen, but what matters is how you respond to them,” he concluded.
