Surabaya - Persebaya Surabaya coach Paul Munster said his team is currently focused on perfecting physical and tactical aspects ahead of the 28th week of the BRI Liga 1 match against hosts Persija Jakarta at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK), Saturday (12/4).
"The training is quite long, but the players enjoy it because we make variations to keep it fun," said Munster in his statement in Surabaya, Monday.
He explained that in the last few days, the intensity of training has increased and the team has also held an internal eleven-on-eleven match with a focus on physicality and tactics as part of the preparation to get the team used to competing again.
In addition, Munster said the players were in good condition after the competition break.
According to him, the feeling of tiredness experienced by players after training is actually a positive indicator for muscle and stamina recovery.
"The marathon phase is over, now it's time for the sprint ," he said.
Munster assessed that all the players are now in fresh condition, both physically and mentally, and have shown high enthusiasm in training to win a starting position.
Munster added that the team will currently focus on recovering their physical condition before returning to high-intensity training at the start of this week.
"The peak is during the match, so we will lower the intensity before the match," he said.
Until the 27th week of the 2024/2025 BRI Liga 1 Indonesia season, Persebaya is in third place in the standings with a collection of 48 points from 14 wins, six draws and seven losses. The Bajul Ijo team scored 32 goals and conceded 28 times, with a goal difference of +4.
Meanwhile, their potential opponents, Persija, are in fourth place with 43 points. Macan Kemayoran have recorded 12 wins, seven draws and eight losses, and have scored 41 goals and conceded 32. The five-point gap between the two teams makes this match crucial in the fight for the top three positions.