NK Croatia Essen is currently causing a stir in the A-League Group 2. Instead of being in a relegation battle, the A-League team finds itself at the top.
With five wins in a row, the amateur club NK Croatia Essen is the team in the best form in the A-League Group 2. This run of success has seen Croatia climb to fifth place in the table and suddenly find themselves right at the top. They are only six points behind the leaders Heisinger SV.
“We didn’t really start the season well with three defeats from the first four games, but then we finally started to believe in our own strengths. That is now bearing fruit. We are a nasty team that is always on fire on the field and gives everything. 11 friends on and off the field,” explains Ivan Ilias Cipetic in an interview with Forecasting.
The midfielder has been lacing up his boots for the A-League team since the beginning of 2023. Since then, he has experienced two seasons in the relegation battle. In 2022/23, Croatia saved itself from possible relegation to the district league B in the relegation play-offs and last season, coach Marko Milković’s team only celebrated its final survival on the last matchday.
The fact that things are going so well now is no surprise to Cipetic. The 21-year-old has noticed a positive change in the club: “Yes, I expected it. We haven’t actually lost any players and have strengthened ourselves well with two or three new signings. I knew that if we can call on our quality, we can also play at the top. Something has also happened in the club compared to recent years. This year there is no training session where we are under 18 players. Everyone is up for it, everyone is going full throttle. We all realized that a lot is possible with the squad. For me, that is the key to success.”
Our goal is to get into the top 5. We don’t have to get promoted and we are under no pressure. I don’t really want to mention that word, because it really doesn’t matter to us.
Ivan Ilias Cipetic on the goal for the season.
After five wins in a row, the question naturally arises: what is in store for NK Croatia Essen this season? Cipetic is ambitious, but he also remains modest: “Our goal is to get into the top 5. We don’t have to get promoted and we’re not under any pressure. I don’t really want to mention that word, because it really doesn’t matter to us.”
Personally, the top performer, who has scored three goals so far, has also set himself some goals: “As a player, I naturally have my own goals. I want to develop as much as possible and want to get 20 points this season. I currently have eight scorers, three goals and five assists. If I reach 20, then I would be happy.”