Montenegrin coach Željko Petrović, head coach of Al Dhafra’s first football team, stressed that his players must fight on the pitch if they want to remain among the clubs competing in the ADNOC Pro League.

Petrović made the remarks during the pre-match press conference for Al Dhafra’s fixture against Khorfakkan, part of Round 15 of the ADNOC Pro League, held on Wednesday evening ahead of Friday’s anticipated clash on February 6, at Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium in Madinat Zayed, Al Dhafra Region, with kick-off scheduled for 5:25 PM.

The Al Dhafra coach highlighted the importance of the match, noting that his team will face a strong opponent whom Al Dhafra defeated 3–2 in the first-leg encounter. However, he pointed out that Khorfakkan have undergone changes at the technical level, which may have brought tactical adjustments to their style of play.

“We are now in a real battle,” Petrović said. “All teams have started winning matches and collecting points, and we are in urgent need of points as well. Since the match is on our home ground, we need soldiers on the pitch, not just players, because securing points at this stage of the season is extremely important.”

He continued: “Staying in the Pro League is our primary objective. If we want to remain in the league, we must collect points, and to do that, we have to fight. If the opponent fights at 100 percent, then we must fight at 130 percent.”

Petrović also emphasized that playing at home leaves no room for excuses, stating: “As long as we are playing in front of our fans, there are no excuses. We must start working seriously from now on to collect points.”

He concluded by calling on Al Dhafra supporters to attend and support the team, stressing that fan support is a crucial factor for the players. He added that he did not want to focus on injuries or player availability, emphasizing that what matters most is that every player who steps onto the pitch gives 100 percent performance, which, in his view, will ensure positive outcomes.