Before training, a press conference was held, where head coach Sergej Barbarez and captain Edin Džeko addressed the media.

Barbarez said: "Preparations have gone well so far-everyone is healthy and motivated. We can’t wait for the match to begin. I expect a very intense game against a confident opponent. I’m excited about this challenge, especially in a packed stadium. I always enjoyed playing away matches, and I’ll try to pass that mindset on to the players. Romania is a very interesting team that I have great respect for. They showed their quality at the European Championship, and I have that in mind. They’ve got excellent players, but we came here to compete."

Džeko shared his thoughts about tomorrow's opener: "When it comes to this new qualification cycle, the first match is always most important. We’re up against a team that played at the last European Championship and keeps improving year after year. They have a highly experienced coach who, even at 80 years old, still has the passion and desire to contribute to this team. However we haven’t come here just to participate-we’re here to achieve a good result. I believe we laid the groundwork in the last Nations League campaign, even if the results weren’t ideal. This is the start of a new process under a new coaching staff, with many young, talented players who represent the future of this team. I hope we’ll prove that tomorrow, even though we’re playing a direct competitor for a top two places. It won’t be easy, but we’re here to fight and get a positive result."

The World Cup qualifier between Romania and Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place tomorrow at 20:45 CET at the National Arena in Bucharest.