Hibs goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger says the team are looking to make amends for the first leg defeat to KF Malisheva by overturning the two-goal deficit in front of a home crowd at Easter Road tonight.
A tie against NK Bravo or KF Shkëndija would be the reward and Sallinger says that both patience and a vocal home support will be vital to our success on the pitch.
Ahead of the UEFA Conference League Second Qualifying Round second-leg tie he said that he understands the fans’ frustrations after a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Fadil Vokkri Stadium last week but says the team are determined to progress to the next stage.
“Of course it was a very disappointing result for us,” he said.
“We as a group spoke about a lot of things that went wrong in that game. There are clearly things we can improve on, but we trained very well this week, and everyone is focused and we stick together after a disappointing result.
“Those are the moments where you can see what character is in this team, and we will show that character tomorrow.
“I know it doesn’t matter which side we’re playing against, the main target is getting through in the third round in the Conference League.
“We have to make sure we win this game tomorrow, but I don’t want to look back so much on the last game. All we can do is look at the future and try to change these things around.
“[A win versus KF Malisheva] would give us a lot of confidence, but apart from that we know that we are a good side, and we know that if we reach and can play on our highest level, then we are a very good side and can compete against everyone.”
Sallinger spoke with the Hibs fans after the match in Kosovo to hear their frustrations first-hand and discuss the next steps leading into this week’s reverse leg.
“Obviously, I feel for [the supporters who travelled to Kosovo],” he said. “Because if I were a fan and I travelled to Kosovo and see a performance like that, I would be disappointed as well, and that’s obviously clear.
“They had to take more than one flight to get there, so I understand them, and I just wanted to talk to them and hear what they said, and I think we had a good conversation.
“I think the main point for us is that we have a game tomorrow, and as a Club, as the fans, and as the players, we win together, and we lose together. They promised me they’d give everything in the stands to support us, to push us, and I think we need that tomorrow, that everyone sticks together at the Club.
“I understand the frustration, and we were frustrated as well, and I thought maybe it’s necessary to say that sometimes you lose games in football, sometimes you don’t have your best days, and so we all fail in our lives, and they understand that, and the main information was that we have to stick all together and give everything for tomorrow.
“Playing at Easter Road in front of a really big crowd, I think for every other side it’s very difficult to play at Easter Road, and we want to show that from the very first minute that there is nothing they can take out from this game.
“But we have to be patient. We will get our chances, and we have to take those chances, and we will do it, we’re going to do it.”
