Without New Year's Holidays, Persija Shifts Focus to Persijap

Persija assistant coach Ricky Nelson, stressed that the team did not have a New Year's holiday (doc. Persija).

JAKARTA - The New Year's holiday period will not be applied to Persija Jakarta players. Instead, they will immediately shift their focus to the next match against Persijap Jepara on Saturday, January 3, 2025.

This performance-based system was implemented after Macan Kemayoran won 3-0 over Bhayangkara FC in the postponed match of the eighth week of the 2025/2026 Super League on Monday, December 29, 2025.

The three points at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium put Persija in third place with 32 points, only two points behind the top two teams, Persib and Borneo FC.

Seeing the tight competition and the crowded schedule of matches, so the reason for the management to skip the New Year's holiday for the players.

"The training continues because the 1st and 3rd are so close that there is no information about the holiday, we will still prepare again tomorrow to play on Saturday," said Persija assistant coach Ricky Nelson at a press conference after the match against Bhayangkara.

Earlier this year, Persija also awaited a big match against Persib Bandung on January 11, 2025. Although aware that this match is a prestigious match, the assistant coach emphasized that the focus will be on the nearest match.

"Our focus is how our opponent Jepara will return (to get) another three points. So every home, every match, we try our best to get three points," said Ricky.

With the increasing heat of competition at the top, especially for the two teams that are arch enemies, Persija and Persib, Ricky reminded that the existing support must be at a reasonable level and not to the point of being excessive.

"My hope is, yes, everyone still uses logic that this is football, this is a game, this is not life and death. So, we still support each team, but we also don't violate existing ethics, existing regulations," said Ricky.