Two New Persib Players Were Brought Down in the Defeat Against Ratchaburi, Hodak: Still Need to Adapt

JAKARTA - Two of Persib Bandung's three new players, Sergio Castel and Layvin Kurzawa, made their debut in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two (Asian Champions League) 16-team round against Ratchaburi FC, Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

In the match at Ratchaburi Stadium, Maung Bandung returned empty-handed with a 0-3 defeat from the hosts.

Persib coach Bojan Hodak responded to Castel and Kurzawa's debut performance. According to him, the two players who came in as substitutes in the second half are still in the process of adapting.

The Croatian tactician stressed that the new players still need time to build a sense of togetherness.

"Both are new players. So, of course they need time to integrate with other players. That's normal," said Hodak.

Although appearing less than 45 minutes, Hodak is optimistic about the individual quality of both of them. He believes they can perform better in the future.

"Both have the potential to play in the main squad and of course they can help the team," he said.