Barbarez: The match against Hungary will be tougher for me

(Patria) - The official press conference of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team was held today at the NS/FS BiH premises in Sarajevo ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Hungary on Monday.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team will host the Hungarian national team in the fourth round of the Nations League.

A very tough match is expected, which will most likely decide who will finish in third place in Group 3 of League A of the Nations League.

Before the match, coach Sergej Barbarez and our national team player Nikola Katić addressed the public.

"It is, perhaps, crucial for the duel and for the standings in this Nations League. The additional motivation is to achieve victory, but we must be realistic, beyond optimism, as much as we hope. We will try everything to achieve a good result. We need to prepare how we will play, and then we will face them and try to make progress," said Barbarez.

Player roster?

"The only thing I can promise is that I will get more playing time. Everything is fine regarding the others, two are suspended, fatigue is certainly setting in, but we have another day and a half, they are slowly getting used to this rhythm, and they will be ready for tomorrow."

Who will replace Demirović? The team looked better with four midfielders than with three. Will this practice continue?

"Well, we will see after Ermedin's departure. We have some ideas, we will see. On the other hand, we didn't play with four midfielders, we played with three, but it's good that it seemed that way. I like watching Atalanta because you can see 3 at the back, and the rest are players who run, just like us. It's important that we focus on the players."

Is Sead Kolašinac fully ready? Can Haris Hajradinović be the playmaker we are missing?

"I don't like talking about names. It's a matter of taste. There were chants of various names, but it's about the team. Neither I nor any player is important, it's only about the team. If some players fit better, they will play. It's not about whether I like someone more. We are talking about the opponent and how we will play, we are in the creation phase and we focus more on the opponent. We are adapting to the situation we are in. We are lagging in the creative part, but when we gain stability, we will solve it more easily. We have creative players.

You see how big national teams switch gears, but our players also need to prove they have another gear in the 70th minute. We have only scratched the surface of their potential, some of our players still don't know how much better they can be.

Everything is fine, Sejo had a problem with the pitch which was too soft, which caused cramps. But you saw three sprints with cramps, we showed them that."

Do you think it will be easier for us to play against Hungary?

"Before the match, I said that the motivation might be greater because we are playing against Germany. I see it as one of eight matches this year. It wasn't particularly significant for me, but against Hungary it will be tougher for me. Especially mentally, because for the first time we feel that we have to and can do something, and we have the first match point for third place in the group.

Nobody expected Hungary to play 1:1 against the Netherlands. We see every match as a final."

Did you analyze Hungary against the Netherlands? What kind of Hungary do you expect in Zenica?

"Hungary tries to play the same style. I like that – they do what they know and it works. They weren't at the Euros by chance. Do you have the statistics? Hungary had only 18% possession, but the result is what is remembered. I consider them a very serious national team and we have a lot of respect for them."

Nikola, what is your opinion and what needs to be improved in the match against Hungary?

"We know where we made mistakes, there was a lack of focus and communication. We are satisfied with how things are going, there are many new names. It was my first time playing with Sejo and it takes time to gel. There is definitely progress. At times, we put the Germans under pressure and perhaps we could have achieved a result. We are working hard and everyone is focused, the result will surely come, but we don't know if it will be in the near or distant future."

Nikola, do you feel that the coach is like a teammate, like a captain? How is the national team culture being built?

"He is a captain, and a friend, and a father, and not just the coach, but everyone in the professional staff. They regularly remind us how much we all mean and instill faith in us that we are on the right track. The national team culture and results are built through small details. It might sound funny to you, but there are many such little things. They asked for more running, sacrifice, and synergy, and that is proof that we are on the right track. The atmosphere was great, we thank the fans. We strive to, even when the stadium falls silent after conceding goals, for the fans to continue cheering and for us to try to put the opponent under pressure."

How do you see your game? How satisfied are you with the back line, Nikola?

"As the coach said, a tougher match awaits us, especially due to the pressure that we can make some progress. We believe in our qualities. I am not satisfied because we conceded two goals. It was better against Germany, but not good enough. We are progressing and working on it, and that will surely bring us more stability."

It has never been a problem for us to play well against big national teams, but we often have problems against less attractive teams. Do you have a way to fix that?

"I can promise you that no match will have a different motivation. Everyone will be top-notch and motivated as long as I am here. Looking at the players, I feel them in those segments. I am brutally satisfied with how they want, work, and implement it. I hope we are moving towards restoring the level we had. Not everything is as black as it was. We started with communication and relationships, there is no egoism here."

What is our situation now, considering the match against Hungary? Can we attack or will we play on counter-attacks?

"Attack means different things. If Demirović had scored, no one would be talking about those last 15 minutes of the first half. I want us to play like the team from Bergamo. The opponent also plays a role – it makes a difference if they stand high or low. I would like more possession, as we had for a few minutes against Germany. In the end, we had 33-34% possession. All these statistics are nice, but we have a plan and we react to situations during the match. I look at 3-5-2 and I know it doesn't work on the flanks. I would like Gazibegović to be like Kimmich, who enters the penalty area 100 times, but all that comes with experience. We are working on improving that."

How much importance do you attach to details to restore that national team culture, for example, we haven't seen for a long time everyone with their hand on their heart during the anthem?

"I have already spoken about the little things and I would like to end with that story. Everyone is here by their own will and desire, and it is absurd that people in this country are divided into certain sides. We are all here to contribute to improvement. We should finally stop with that. In Jablanica, everyone was together, no one asked who was Croat, Bosniak, Serb, or what religion they were. I am not part of that war story and it bothers me that people talk about who belongs to which religion or who put their hand on their heart. We are all here with the same desire and love for the country," concluded Nikola Katić.

(sportsport.ba)