Rapid Bucharest make their debut in front of their own fans in the first leg of the Super League on Friday, and new coach Cristiano Bergodi spoke ahead of the clash with his former team.

Cristiano Bergodi and Rapid’s goal in the first leg

Appointed four days ago, following the departure of Adrian Mutu to Neftchi Baku, Italian Cristiano Bergodi will make his Rapida debut against the team he coached for the past year and a half, Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe.

At the pre-match press conference, the coach talked about the short period during which he did not have time to consolidate his technical and tactical ideas and set a goal for the first match: victory, not a spectacular match.

“Tomorrow starts a new championship, very important for everyone, especially for our club. We want to achieve important things, Rapid is a brand. I came here as a coach, I have the maximum desire to achieve an important performance. We are making our debut in this championship against my former team, a team I know very well.

The first days of training went well. The boys were responsive and showed maximum readiness for what I tried to do with them during these four days. You can say that I failed to do almost anything of what I think and what I want from the team I coach. It’s hard to impose your strategy and style of play from the first moment you joined the new team, but the boys accepted.

Indeed, I know the Sepsi people very well, but they also know me very well, how they prepare for matches.

It will not be a surprise for them, but we are trying to play the right way and get a good result. For me, the result is more important in this match, because it is more important to win these three points than the evolution of the team. It’s normal, I joined the team literally four days ago, after the former coach prepared something different in the meeting, especially since he also changed the game system compared to the one he prepared last year. It will not be easy for me or the team, but I am confident. I have a positive attitude and always move forward.

I think the atmosphere will be as beautiful as always. This is the first game and I hope the stadium will be full. If we start with a positive result and start this championship in the right way, I’m sure the fans will be happy too. It will be a very difficult championship. The stadium is always full. It helps you all the time, the fans push you from behind, it’s normal. I hope it will be the same in tomorrow’s game.

A difficult championship is ahead. All the teams fought for the playoffs last year and, I think, they will have their say in the fight for the championship. We cannot predict how teams will perform in this competition.

As far as I have seen, there are serious people in Rapida, the coach has all the conditions to do his job well.

A win tomorrow night would be very important, we would start this championship in the right way, it would be great, but we have a long, grueling championship ahead of us and it is not easy to win every game.

My biggest dream would be to win a title with Rapid. I think sooner or later I deserve to win the title. I was close to achieving this achievement, I want to achieve this with Rapid. I’m proud to be the last coach to bring the trophy to Rapid.” – said to Cristiano Bergodifor the club’s official website.

On Friday at 21:30, Rapid will meet at home with Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe in the first stage of the Super League.