Persija vs Persebaya: Shin Tae-yong Urges His Team to Stay Focused, Tavares Warns About Dead Ball Situations

Persija Jakarta will not allow themselves to slip up when they host Persebaya Surabaya in the ninth matchweek of the 2026/2027 Super League. Despite their opponents heading into this fixture on an unconvincing run of recent results, Persija head coach Shin Tae-yong has ordered his squad to remain fully focused and not underestimate the strength of the Bajul Ijo.

Persija will welcome Persebaya at the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) on Saturday 7 November, riding high on confidence after collecting 18 points to lead the provisional league Standings. Nevertheless, Shin stressed that neither the opposition's league position nor previous Match Results are justification for his side to relax their concentration.

"I have told all the players not to drop their guard, and to give their absolute best," Shin Tae-yong stated during his pre-match press conference at Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), Jakarta on Friday.

Persebaya have indeed failed to show consistency in their latest outings. Across their last three Super League fixtures, the Surabaya side drew 1-1 with Persijap Jepara, secured a 3-1 win over Madura United, then fell to a 0-1 defeat against PSM Makassar.

Persebaya also picked up a disappointing result in the 2026/2027 League Cup, where they were beaten 2-3 by second division side Kendal Tornado FC.

Even so, Shin has warned Persija against becoming complacent based on these recent records. The South Korean head coach emphasised that every opponent must be approached with maximum preparation.

"That is the only way we can secure a good result against them," he added.

Shin confirmed that the entire Persija squad are fully prepared to claim victory on home turf. He framed this fixture against Persebaya as a critical opportunity for the Macan Kemayoran to defend their place at the top of the table.

"It is fair to say every single one of our players has prepared extremely hard and properly for this match," he stated.

There was also positive news regarding Shin's personal health: after receiving intensive hospital treatment, the coach confirmed he has fully recovered and will be present on the touchline for this fixture.

Persebaya Preparing For Set Piece Threat

In the opposing camp, Persebaya have made Persija's dangerous dead ball ability their primary focus. Head coach Bernardo Tavares noted that the Macan Kemayoran possess several quality players capable of creating major threats from these situations.

"They [Persija] are extremely strong from set piece situations," Bernardo Tavares explained during his own virtual pre-match press conference on Friday.

Alongside set pieces, the Portuguese head coach also highlighted Persija's quality in attacking build up, noting that the home side boast sharp forwards and dangerous pace on attacking transitions.

Bernardo has instructed his players not to fixate solely on individual opposition players. Instead he ordered the entire squad to read match flow dynamically, adjusting defensive strategy based on ball position and opposition movement.

"The most important thing for us is to track where the ball is. At times we will use man marking, at others we will drop into zonal defence - we adjust constantly based on ball position and how many opposition players are in the area," he explained.

Persebaya's preparations for this fixture have not gone perfectly. Bernardo is still monitoring his squad's fitness levels, following a congested run of back-to-back Match Fixtures.

A final decision on the available matchday squad will only be confirmed after the team's final training session.

"We will make the final call after our last training session, to confirm which players are fit and available to be included in the match plan, and which players will be ruled out," he stated.

This fixture pits two sides sitting at very different points in the provisional league table against one another. Persija lead the standings on 18 points, while Persebaya currently sit in 7th place with 13 points.

A win will allow Persija to retain their position at the summit of the league. For Persebaya meanwhile, a positive result will lift them up the table, as well as proving they can compete under pressure away from home.

The Persija Jakarta vs Persebaya Surabaya fixture is scheduled to kick off at Jakarta International Stadium on Saturday 7 November, at 19:00 WIB.