Before the Polish Cup match against Odra Opole, Wisła Kraków coach Mariusz Jop assessed the squad situation, announced a rotation in goal, outlined the profile of the new player, and analyzed the opponent.

Squad situation
Asked about the team’s health ahead of the match against Odra Opole and about injured players returning to training, the coach replied: “The injured players are making steady progress, but, as usual, I’ll answer as I did last time without revealing any details. The situation is generally improving, which is good news, but I wouldn’t want to discuss the details of who will return when and so on.”

Goalkeeper selection and squad rotation
Asked about opportunities for substitutes in cup competitions and whether Patryk Letkiewicz might be in the starting lineup, the Wisła Kraków coach confirmed: “Yes, in this particular case I think I can say it, because it is such a specific position that if you don’t use this kind of rotation in cup competitions, then when the first-choice goalkeeper is fit and performing well, the backup has a big problem getting minutes. We definitely want to continue developing Leta. He is performing very well in training, which is why we had already planned for him to start the cup match.”

The journalist also asked about the extent of the changes in outfield positions in the context of the upcoming league match. “We want to focus now on what awaits us tomorrow, because we don’t have much time to rest. I know the specifics of cup matches. Which league someone plays in is not that important. We have been convinced of that many times, so we want to focus on what lies ahead and prepare as well as possible. For the cup match, we can take only 20 players, so we are traveling with a large group. Of course, I and the staff have an idea of what adjustments there may be and whether there will be any, but I wouldn’t want to discuss that in detail,” Mariusz Jop emphasized.

Assessing the opponent – Odra Opole and the coach’s working style
Asked whether frequently facing Odra Opole in recent years made preparations easier, the coach referred to the opposition’s manager: “I think it is more about knowing coach Tomczyk’s work, because I believe he is a coach who is consistent in what he does. I think we remember last season and Polonia Bytom’s first round well, and how they performed. I think coach Tomczyk’s work at Odra is similar to what he did in Bytom; there is a lot of consistency, which was what that team was known for. I think Odra is increasingly resembling Polonia: an intense, well-organized, proactive team that pushes the opposition back, is tall and physically strong, and is dangerous from set pieces. I think that is characteristic of coach Tomczyk’s work, and it seems to me that although their beginnings in the first division were difficult, with every match this team has been playing more in line with the coach’s expectations. Of course, we need to keep things in proportion, because it is not easy to introduce a system of play and an appropriate work ethic and get the players to adapt to it. I think it is clear that this team is playing really well. I watched their recent match against ŁKS, and although it ended in a draw, in my opinion Odra were the better team.”

Asked about the need to remain alert against teams from lower divisions in cup competitions, he replied: “I think there is one simple football truth: no one has ever won a match on paper. What matters most is what you show on the pitch. The fact that you play in a higher division must always be proven on the field through your attitude, commitment, and quality. There is no other way.”

A test for players with fewer minutes
Asked whether he treats cup matches as an opportunity to assess the squad and give players who play less often a chance, the coach stated: “I wouldn’t want to answer that question so directly again. We certainly see the players in the wider squad every day in training, we see their commitment, and we see how they work. We know them well, because we have worked with most of them not for six months but for a year and a half or even two years, so everyone is ready and physically and mentally prepared for this match. As for the specifics, we will only decide before the match.”

Wisła fans at away matches
The coach commented as follows on the presence of the White Star supporters at the away matches in Opole and Kielce: “Of course, it is additional support. We have always worked hard to ensure that they could attend away matches. I’m glad that they will be able to participate normally in tomorrow’s match and Saturday’s match. I don’t think there have ever been any inappropriate incidents; they have supported us very strongly, so I’m happy that it will also be the case in these matches.”

Logistics and organization of the microcycle
Asked about the logistical plan for the coming days, including away matches in Opole and Kielce, Mariusz Jop explained: “The distances are not great, and the match in Opole is not late either—it starts at 5:30 p.m.—so we will return as usual after the match. Then we will train at our facilities in Myślenice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and on Friday afternoon we will leave for Kielce.”

Team’s tactical options
Asked about possible changes to the formation and adopting a more attacking tactical approach because they were facing an opponent from a lower division, he replied: “The strategy for the match has been prepared. We did as much as we could during training sessions. However, I wouldn’t want to say at this point which direction we intend to take in terms of strategy.”

Jeremy Guillemenot’s profile and cooperation with Ángel Rodado
One of the journalists asked for an analysis of Jeremy Guillemenot’s profile and an assessment of the possibility of him starting alongside Ángel Rodado. “I think so, because we know that Ángel is a player who can play as a number 9 or a number 10. He has often played in both positions at Wisła Kraków, and he can find his way in either one and score goals from both positions. Jeremy is also a player who may be more of a number 9, but he can also operate in the deeper number 10 position. I have said before that Jeremy is definitely the kind of clever, intelligent player on the pitch who understands space well and has a good sense of what is happening around him. He showed in the last match that he can score from distance, but he is also two-footed, can find his way in the penalty area, and is something of a fox in the box. He can get into the right place and create a goalscoring opportunity for himself,” the Kraków coach assessed.

The importance of a win for team morale
Asked whether a possible victory would give the team a confidence boost ahead of their PKO BP Ekstraklasa appearances, he replied: “I think every victory brings positive emotions and gives the team a good, strong impulse. I even remember from my own experience that when you won matches, the whole recovery process after such a game always seemed to go faster; you felt that you could already play another match the next day. Of course, every victory builds confidence, and I think that regardless of whom we play, whether it is a cup match or a league match, the effect of winning is the same.”

Sentiment and motivation in cup competitions
Asked about memories of his debut as Wisła Kraków coach against Odra Opole and his attitude toward the cup competition, the coach explained: “It was a completely different team and a different moment; we played at home, so there are quite a lot of differences. I have no particular sentiment toward it—it is just another opponent for me.”

Asked about the sporting anger caused by setbacks in the previous edition of the Polish Cup, he added: “Of course. I really hate losing, and every defeat hurts me, especially when it is against a lower-ranked team. In the previous edition, we also lost away to Polonia Warsaw, so I remember those matches very well and what they looked like. Those are moments that make the emotions come back, and they are obviously negative emotions. I feel that sporting anger then, and I would not want to let it happen again.”

Formalities and Victor Meseguer’s condition
Asked about completing the formalities required to make Victor Meseguer eligible to play and about his first impressions of the player’s training with the team, the coach said: “I still don’t have confirmation, but I know that the matter was very close to being resolved. It was only up to the association—our federation—to approve it, so I think that if it has not already been done, it will be, and we plan to take him with us.”

Referring to the new player’s sporting form, he added: “He is certainly a player with great individual abilities when it comes to understanding space and making decisions. You can see that he sees a lot on the pitch. In addition to having a good sense of winning the ball and being tall for a central midfielder, he can certainly help us build attacks, play the kind of pass that opens up the game, and even finish chances in the penalty area. He is generally a very talented player. Of course, we also know that he had a break from team training, so he definitely needs some time to regain his physical condition, understand a little how we function as a team, and get to know his teammates. All of that takes time, but he is functioning quite well considering that he has only been here for a few days.”

Assessment of the new pitch at R22
Asked about the quality and preparation of the new pitch at the stadium on Reymonta Street, the coach concluded: “Considering that it was laid relatively late in its entirety, it looked quite decent. The pitch certainly also needs some time for the grass to start growing again and to be mowed several times. I think that by the next home league match it should be, let’s say, optimal. There was one moment, I think, in the second half when a fairly large piece of the turf came up, but generally I think that at the moment the quality of the pitch is quite good.”

The full recording of the press conference is available on Wisła Kraków’s official YouTube channel—we encourage you to watch it and subscribe to stay up to date with material from the club.