Carver: We understand what this match means to the people of the Tricity

We will finish February with the Tricity Derby. Ahead of Friday’s clash in Gdynia, head coach John Carver met with the media.

What is the team’s injury situation?

The good news is that Camilo Mena trained normally with us on Thursday, so we don’t have any problems with him. Maks Diaczuk is also feeling better and has been in full training for the past two weeks.

The derby is a special match for the Lechia community:

In matches like this, you have to control your emotions. Many of our players have already played in games of this magnitude, so it’s about how we manage those emotions. As I said, you need to stay in control. You can’t be over-motivated. We understand what this match means to the people of the Tricity. When the fixtures are released, everyone – fans and players – immediately looks for the derby dates. These are big games. Tomorrow’s match will be one as well, and we want to play in big games. The importance of the occasion itself motivates the players.

In the previous round, both Lechia and Arka conceded early goals:

You never want to concede early, but every coach would like to score early. That’s very important. We must be focused from the very beginning – that will be key. You can say many things to the players in the dressing room, but they are the ones who go out onto the pitch.

Technical director Kevin Blackwell attended Arka’s last match:

Kevin was at Arka’s last game and spoke positively about the opponent. He provided us with a lot of valuable information. That also complemented the data from our analyst Maciek, who knows everything about the opponent! We are aware it will be a difficult match because it’s a derby. Anything can happen.

Lechia fans will not travel to Gdynia:

We have played several matches in the past without our fans and had to deal with it. I know they will be close to us – watching at home, in restaurants, and at the stadium. We will feel their support!