2021 AFC Champions League Group Stage 2: Guoan face Kawasaki
Time: June 30, 2021 00:00 (Beijing time)
Venue: Lokomotiv Stadium, Tashkent
Before the match, head coach Jankovic attended the press conference with his player Guo Quanbo. They faced the camera with a tense and expectant atmosphere.
Speaking about the upcoming opponent Kawasaki Frontale, Jankovic said bluntly: "This is our second match in the AFC Champions League, and our opponent Kawasaki Frontale has a great reputation in Asia. Even with the first team in action, it's hard to guarantee a win. I expect my players to give it their all and put their skills from training into the game."
Speaking about the importance of his team staying focused during the game, Jankovic said, "It's a huge challenge for our team to stay focused, especially in the top Asian leagues. If we can stay focused throughout the game, we might be able to surprise the crowd. But the young players are inexperienced after all, and that's normal. We will try our best to help them, especially in defense where we have to concentrate."
In the first game towards the end of the stage, Guoan juniors appeared to cramp, the media took this opportunity to ask Jankovic how to adjust the players' physical fitness. He responded, "It's true that cramps in the closing stages of a game can interfere with the process. But what I want to say is that in our matches against domestic opponents of the same age, the opponents will also have similar situations. The AFC Champions League is the highest level in Asia, and both the intensity of the game and the mentality of the players is expected to be different from the past. I don't think our team has a problem with physical fitness, but how to adjust the players' mentality and teach them to distribute their physical fitness reasonably during the 90 minutes is something our coaching staff needs to think about."
Guo Quanbo attended the press conference along with head coach Jankovic and talked about the whole team's mentality for the game, saying, "This time, when we participate in the AFC Champions League, our whole team is holding the mentality of learning. It's very rare to have the opportunity to participate in such a high-level tournament, and everyone should cherish it."
As an experienced player in the team, Guo Quanbo also shared how he helps his teammates both on and off the field. He said: "The opponents in the AFC Champions League are very strong, and as a goalkeeper, I need to direct the defense and tell my teammates to stay focused in defense. Off the field, I hope all the players can enjoy such a high-level tournament and show their strength."
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