Persija vs Persebaya: Hot Derby Between Two Teams Aiming for Victory

A heated week 27 BRI Super League match will pit Persija Jakarta against Persebaya Surabaya at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) on Saturday night, April 11th. Both teams arrive with the same mission: to secure a victory.

Persija coach, Mauricio Souza, emphasized his team's primary focus is securing three points to keep their top-table aspirations alive. Despite being nine points behind leaders Persib Bandung, he chose to disregard the Standings calculations.

"If we could have gotten results in those matches, our position would be much better now. So our focus is on how to get three points in the next match," Mauricio stated in a press conference in Jakarta.

Persija is indeed under pressure after failing to win in their last three matches. Evaluation is directed towards the defensive line, deemed not solid enough.

"We are a very offensive team. We compete near the top in terms of goals scored. But as I always say, a team that wants to be champion must be consistent. They also have to defend very well," Mauricio said.

Their goals conceded record is a serious concern. In 11 matches throughout 2026, Macan Kemayoran (The Kemayoran Tigers) have conceded 12 goals, almost matching last season's total of 13 goals conceded from 15 matches.

The situation becomes more challenging as Persija cannot field four key players: Jordi Amat (red card accumulation), Thales Lira (yellow card accumulation), Shayne Pattynama (illness), and Mauro Zijlstra (injury).

On the other hand, Persebaya arrives without pressure but still carries big ambitions. Coach Bernardo Tavares stated that the pressure is actually on the home team.

"But we never plan for a draw or a loss. We always try to win. We know it will be difficult, but maybe we can spring a surprise," Bernardo said.

The Green Crocodiles (Bajul Ijo) also have a mission to end their poor record at SUGBK. The last time they won at Persija's home ground was in December 2019 with a 2-1 score. Since then, achieving a positive result has been difficult.

In their last meeting at the same stadium last season, Persebaya could only manage a 1-1 draw. Now, they hope to steal a win.

"What's important is our focus must be high, because in our last away match we conceded five goals (1-5 vs Borneo). The players' mentality must be strong from start to finish. Only then can we get a good result," he concluded.

With equally big ambitions from both teams, the Persija vs Persebaya duel is guaranteed to be fierce. Three points are not just about position in the standings, but also a momentum to change the course of their season.