After a long two-month break, Serbia’s football league continues this weekend. The derby of the first round of the spring half-season will be played on Saturday at the stadium “Rajko Mitić” in Belgrade, where the domestic Red Star will face Vojvodina, which enters a new half-season with a significantly rejuvenated team, relying mainly on players grown in its own Youth Academy.
Red Star is expecting this match from the first and Vojvodina from the eighth position in the table, so it is clear that the role of the favorite in this match belongs to the team from Belgrade. However, the Manager of the “old lady” Radovan Krivokapić is convinced that his team will also have what to show to the fans and sports public in Serbia.
– We are expecting the hardest possible rival at this time, on which words should not be wasted. It’s clear to everyone that Red Star is currently much above all the others and that it has gone far ahead in terms of team squad, coaching squad and management structures, and that it is now at the European level. However, we look at us and how we will look when we run out on the pitch. We want to give our best and play football, because it is the obligation we have towards the coat of arms and the shirt we carry. This was once a derby, but it’s not exactly the case at this moment. We are not in the situation to threat or claim that we will be better than our rival, but we will try that, because no one can take away our hope and desire. I am especially glad that, through conversations with the players, I saw a great desire among them to show what they can do – says Krivokapić.
According to him, the importance of the match will not be confined to red and whites.
– Personally, I love the pressure and when I know why I’m playing and what I’m fighting for. I can tell to the fans of Vojvodina not to doubt at any moment that each of our players will give the maximum on the pitch. Whether this will be enough for a favorable result or not, we will see, but in any case, they should know that, while I am the Managers, the players in every match have to leave the pitch with bloody knees, but on both feet firmly on the ground, because that will mean that we did something good. Also, we have a commitment to our fans, who this year celebrate the anniversary and who, according to the information I have, will come to Belgrade in large number to support us. We have to justify their trust and, if God allows, we will all celebrate at the end – says Krivokapić, adding that there are no personnel problems in his team, and that after the obligations with the Serbian U-19 national team, youngsters Andrej Jakovljević, Igor Jeličić and Mihajlo Nešković yesterday joined the training of Voša.
As the main difference in his team in relation to the first part of the season, the Manager of Vojvodina points out the psychological factor among the players.
– During the preparations, we worked on all the details, including on the technical-tactical requirements, but also on psychology. We talked a lot, because it is very important that players believe in themselves as much as the coaching staff believes in them. Each day, we are convincing the players to enter the match against the Red Star with lots of confidence, which they should also do in every next game, because without confidence you can hardly get a result. In my opinion, this is one of the key things – emphasizes Krivokapić.
As the captain of Vojvodina, he has already taken part in the derbies against Red Star, and he certainly particularly remembers the one from 2001, when, in the last ten minutes, with a goal and an assist, he got Voša a point from that match.
– The fight for points always brings some pressure and of course competition matches are not the same as friendly. In control matches, mistakes are allowed, sometimes they are not punished, and on such a match and against such a rival, for every minor mistake you will be punished. On that so-called “big games” there are lot of external factors, such as audience, weather, atmosphere, etc. For this reason, my advice to players for Saturday is just to enjoy the game – Krivokapić remarks.
Regarding the first round in the spring part of the season, Red Star has a tradition of invincibility that has been in existence since 1982, when no football player of Vojvodina has even been born.
– Red Star is in an incredible series of victories and they deserve respect for that. However, that sometimes knows to put you a little into sleep. I hope that they will be a little sleepy on Saturday, and that we will take advantage of that moment, so that we try to break this series of invincibility – emphasizes Krivokapić.
In the current squad of Red Star, there are many players who previously carried the jersey of Vojvodina, such as Dušan Jovančić, Srđan Babić, Milan Pavkov, Nemanja Supić, Zoran Popović, and recently Mirko Ivanić.
– I can not say with certainty who of them will be in the team on Saturday, but of course every player, when playing against the former club, plays with an additional motive, and I believe that will be the case with them too. However, we do not think about that and we look at ourselves. Whoever will be on the other side, it is totally irrelevant for us – Krivokapić emphasized.
The match between Red Star and Vojvodina is scheduled for Saturday at the “Rajko Mitić” Stadium in Belgrade, starting at 4 PM, with direct broadcast on the second channel of Arena Sport TV.
