HU
The two managers and club captains took part in the press conference, which was held at the Puskas Arena on Friday afternoon.
A press conference ahead of the MOL Hungarian Cup final on Monday evening was hosted at the Puskas Arena on Friday afternoon. Representing our club, head coach Imre Szabics and team captain Nemanja Nikolic, while head coach Michael Oenning and team captain Krisztian Simon took part on behalf of Ujpest FC. The media gathered to listen to those present and their thoughts on Monday's final.
The two managers spoke to the media first.
"We’re happy to be able to play in front of spectators again, as football is for the spectators. We are playing against a club with a long tradition. They are a team made up of great professionals, we respect them to the maximum, regardless of us wanting to write history and win the cup final. There is a 50/50 percent chance of both teams winning. We don’t deal with the past, only the target before our eyes, which is to win and write ourselves into the history books to leave a mark. Lately, I’ve seen the players at Vidi who are motivated by the stakes from week to week, which gives them incredible strength before such a meeting. We played under a lot of pressure throughout April, but that had a positive effect on the players. My players are humble, modest, hardworking and refueled with confidence, I look positively ahead to the match" - reflected Imre Szabics.
"This is a football festival for football lovers. It wasn’t an easy season for us and that’s why I’m happy with the final, and once we reached it, we want to win it. We will be playing against a very good team, but it’s a cup match where anything can happen. We have a long way to go, but now the team has bonded and we are trying to win the trophy for the fans. For their year-round support, we can now give something back. We are not the favourites, but we will do our best. Since I have been the coach of Ujpest, we have been beaten twice by Vidi, and both were effective games. You need to be in very good form if you want to compete with them. However, this clash is also special for them, because they will feel it will be a seemingly easy thing against us, seemingly..." - commented Michael Oenning. After the two head coaches, the two team captains followed. Nemanja Nikolic went first: "A cup final is always a special event. The trophies are there to be won and, as our coach said, we can put our name in history. What we have received and will receive from the club can be repaid with titles and cups, which is why Monday’s game is very important. We respect Ujpest, but we are confident, the opportunity is ahead of us, it all depends on us. Our league matches are a part of the past, we don’t focus on them. We simply want to win because of the club, our fans and ourselves. I think it could give a big boost for next season too if the cup is ours!" Krisztian Simon, Ujpest captain: "It will be a completely different match than those in the league. Of course, the fans can give us an extra boost if they come in, I expect a good mooded match. Vidi are in very good shape, we’ve been beaten three times this season by them, but we’re not starting from those meetings. We know how good players make up our opponent, but there are also players on our side who can decide a match." Photos were taken by the pitch after the press conference.
Author: David Rechnitzer
