The players of Zrinjski began their preparations for the new season today, which for the Plemići starts on July 25 with the first match of the second qualifying round for the UEFA Conference League.
The coaching staff, led by new head coach Mario Ivanković, gathered the team at 18:30, with 27 players in attendance. Immediately after, the first training session was held on the main field of the HŠK Zrinjski stadium, with 26 players participating in the initial preparations.
“First of all, thank you to the Management for their trust. It is a great honor and responsibility, and it is up to me and my assistants to justify that trust through quality work and the support of the entire club. The season is new, but the ambitions remain unchanged, namely, the fight for the double crown on the domestic scene and achieving the maximum possible in Europe, no matter how much the path to the group stage now seems tougher than in the previous season,” said Ivanković.
Compared to the squad that concluded the previous season, four new players have joined Zrinjski’s preparations – returnees from loan Luka Pršlja and Antonio Prskalo, former junior Amir Duraković, and another returnee, 19-year-old winger David Čamber, who returns to Zrinjski after three years and a transfer to Venezia FC, having played for HNK Rijeka in the past year.
“We haven’t made many changes because we have a quality squad that is already well-covered in all positions. The squad for the next season is not yet finalized, but by the time we leave for preparations in Sveti Martin na Muri, a lot will become clearer,” added Ivanković.
Before the gathering, now-former coach Željko Petrović bid farewell to the players and staff, with whom a mutual termination of the contract was signed today. The players were also greeted at the start of the new season’s preparations by Management members led by President Denis Lasić.
Of the players who attended the gathering, only captain Nemanja Bilbija did not train as he is recovering from knee surgery. For the same reason, Petar Mišić, who spent the spring part of the season on loan at NK Široki Brijeg, also missed today’s gathering.
To recap, the Plemići will conduct the initial part of their preparations in Mostar before traveling to Sveti Martin na Muri on June 30, where they will stay until July 12.
Players
Anis Sefo, Goran Karačić, Marko Marić, Luka Pršlja, Josip Ćorluka, Kerim Memija, Hrvoje Barišić, Slobodan Jakovljević, Toni Šunjić, Marin Magdić, Amir Duraković, Sebastian Corda, Mario Tičinović, Tomislav Kiš, Tarik Ramić, Antonio Ivančić, Igor Savić, Filip Bradarić, Antonio Prskalo, Marko Kozina, Matija Malekinušić, Mario Ćuže, Besart Abdurahimi, David Čamber, Nardin Mulahusejnović, Franko Sabljić, Nemanja Bilbija
Stuff
Friendly matches
28.06. HŠK Zrinjski – KF Vllaznia
04.07. NK Lokomotiva – HŠK Zrinjski
08.07. FC Zorya – HŠK Zrinjski
12.07. NK Slaven Belupo – HŠK Zrinjski
18.07. HŠK Zrinjski – FK Željezničar
