Jakirović at the presentation: I had to accept the challenge in Dinamo

The new coach of Dinamo Zagreb, Sergej Jakirović, said today that he is ready for the big challenge that awaits him at that football club.

"Everything happened unexpectedly quickly, I felt that I had to accept this challenge in Dinamo and I am ready for it. There was a lot of support, invitations and heartfelt thanks, and I will do my best to justify the trust shown," said Jakirović at the presentation, Hina reported.

Jakirović took over the team on Monday, after the management fired coach Igor Bišćan after elimination from the Champions League qualifiers.

Jakirović thanked the management for their trust and said that together with his colleagues, he worked well in Rijeka and that they deserved the opportunity to work in a club like Dinamo.

"I think we did a very good job, achieved excellent results, that's why we got this opportunity, I think we deserved it. I just hope that I will continue as before and that we will return to winning as soon as possible because we desperately need them ", he added and thanked his previous club Rijeka for the good cooperation.

Jakirović will make his debut on Thursday against Sparta Prague, in the first game of the Europa League playoffs. He was asked what could be done with the team in such a short period of time.

"The most we can do is on the psychological side. We had a quality meeting, I talked with the older players, tentatively speaking, the 'senators', but also with the young people who came alive on Tuesday. Energy will play the main role. We have to do everything to be maximal in Thursday," he said.

"There is full concentration on the match against Sparta. I didn't have a lot of time, but I used all the available information to find out everything about Sparta. I talked to the players, we will prepare, I think we will be good and achieve the best possible result for the second leg," he added. Jakirovic.