Igor Tolic Urges Persib to Stay Alert Against Persijap
Persib coach, Igor Tolic, refuses to use the first two matches as a benchmark to measure Persijap’s strength. According to Tolic, Persib must maintain high vigilance against any surprise moves Persijap might display in the upcoming match.
The clash between Persijap and Persib is scheduled to take place at the Gelora Bumi Kartini Stadium, Jepara, on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The duel between two teams equally hungry for a win will be broadcast live at 19:00 WIB.
Tolic noted that Persijap boasts strong managerial backing. He recalled that since January 2026—or mid-way through last season—Persijap continuously brought in new players, making the squad significantly more stable.
“I think they have good management. I feel their player selection has improved. In January, they brought in a lot of players, so they became very stable, very organized, and they have a good coach,” Tolic stated.
Despite their quality, Persijap is not without flaws. Tolic pointed out that Persijap’s initial two defeats prove that even a well-balanced team has vulnerabilities that can be exploited to secure a win.
However, Tolic reiterated that he does not want to judge Persijap based on those two early losses. In fact, he believes those back-to-back defeats will only drive the team, nicknamed Laskar Kalinyamat, to fight even harder to claim a victory against Persib.
“I watched their first two matches. They were a bit unlucky not to pick up any points, but they played well. So yes, it’s going to be a tough match. It’s always a tough match,” Igor explained.
Furthermore, the Croatian head coach is certain that Persib will need to put in extra effort, given that Persijap will be playing in front of their home crowd. He hopes his players are fully prepared to bring all three points back to Bandung.
“They are a tough team, very well-organized. The atmosphere there is great to play in, so yeah, we’ll see tomorrow. We’ve traveled a long way. We’ve been trying to freshen up and recover over the past two days, and let’s see what happens tomorrow,” he concluded.
