Sarajevo welcomes Široki at Koševo in the first leg of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Cup final

(Patria) - Footballers of Sarajevo and Široki Brijeg will play the first leg of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Cup final today at the "Asim Ferhatović Hase" stadium in Sarajevo.

The coach of the burgundy team, Zoran Zekić, at yesterday's press conference shared his expectations for the upcoming challenge, emphasizing that he does not expect an easy task.

- We know what awaits us. We have gone through one of the most demanding paths in the competition to reach this final, which only further confirms that this path will not be easy either.

However, I believe we have deservedly arrived here and that we have the opportunity to give ourselves and the fans a special moment. It is crucial that we are brave, calm, quality, and focused, so that we all have reasons for satisfaction together - says Zekić.

He emphasizes that there is no room for experimentation in such matches and that only players who are in the best form will get the chance.

- Such a match does not tolerate uncertainty - we are only looking for those who are maximally ready. We cannot afford risks; we will choose safe and physically stable player options - highlights the Sarajevo strategist.

He also commented on the opponent, noting that coach Dean Klafurić has managed to significantly improve the Široki Brijeg team.

- It is clearly visible how the team functions under Klafurić's leadership; they have exceptionally good transition and security in passing. This opens up a series of tactical challenges. I have won two Cups before and I know well how demanding it can be.

There are no easy opponents, nor simple scenarios. Often, victories go to those whom many have written off. We must stay grounded and ready to learn, whether from our own mistakes or those of others - added Zekić.

The match between Sarajevo and Široki Brijeg will be played at 18:00 at Koševo. This will be the fourth final in which Sarajevo and Široki Brijeg face each other.

In the 2004/2005 season, Sarajevo was better over two matches with an aggregate score of 2:1 (1:0, 1:1).

In the 2016/2017 season, the first final match played in Sarajevo ended with a 1:0 victory for Široki Brijeg, while in Široki Brijeg, Sarajevo achieved an identical victory. After a better penalty shootout, Široki Brijeg was more successful with 4:2.

The last meeting of these clubs in the final was played in the 2018/2019 season. Sarajevo won 3:0 at the "Asim Ferhatović Hase" stadium, while in the return leg in Široki Brijeg, it was 1:0 for the home team.

Sarajevo has so far won seven titles as winners of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Cup, while Široki has triumphed three times.