Katowice Coach Confident Despite 0-2 Deficit Against Hapoel Tel Aviv in Conference League

Hapoel Tel Aviv is set to face Polish club Katowice in the second leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round on Wednesday, holding a strong 2-0 advantage from the first match. Katowice's coach, Rafal Gorak, spoke ahead of the game in Poland, expressing belief that overturning the deficit is still achievable. He emphasized that scoring the first goal would be crucial and dismissed the idea that the 0-2 scoreline is insurmountable, noting it is not as severe as a 0-4 or 0-5 deficit.

Gorak acknowledged Hapoel Tel Aviv's quality and financial strength but insisted his team is within reach of their level. Reflecting on Katowice's performance in the first leg in Miskolc, he admitted the team made simple individual mistakes and that the analysis of that game was straightforward. He highlighted the importance of preparation for the upcoming match, promising an impressive performance with some lineup changes, though the formation will remain the same.

The coach also addressed the possibility of the tie being decided by a penalty shootout, confirming that the team is preparing for that scenario by practicing penalties and assessing players' focus and composure. Additionally, Gorak noted that Adam Żerlak, who was injured in the first leg, will be unavailable for the return match as he still requires recovery time.