Tavares predicts that the match between Persebaya and PSMS Medan will be a tight, fiercely contested affair.

Persebaya Surabaya will face their second test in Group B of the 2026 President's Cup when they host PSMS Medan at the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium on Wednesday evening, 29 July. After opening the tournament with a 1-0 win over Persija Jakarta, the Green Force are chasing another positive result while continuing to refine the squad ahead of the 2026/2027 Super League.

Head coach Bernardo Tavares emphasized that his main focus is not on the opposition's strength, but on ensuring his players are operating at peak condition. According to the Portuguese tactician, physical readiness is the top priority before finalising any match strategy.

Ahead of the fixture, the Persebaya squad completed a recovery session as a number of players are still suffering from post-match fatigue.

"We have not been able to run the planned training program, as their physical condition must take priority," stated Tavares at Training Field C, as quoted from Persebaya's official website.

The coaching staff are taking a cautious approach regarding the final matchday squad. Tavares confirmed that a final evaluation will only be conducted after monitoring the players' recovery progress right up until kickoff.

On the other side, PSMS travel to Surabaya following a 0-2 opening match defeat against Port FC. Despite this, Tavares has refused to use that result as a benchmark. He believes facing a fellow Indonesian domestic side will bring an entirely different level of motivation for the Ayam Kinantan.

"I do not look too closely at PSMS' previous result against Port FC. Tomorrow's match will be completely different. They are competing against another Indonesian team, and I am certain their motivation will also shift accordingly," he remarked.

Tavares even predicted the clash at GBT Stadium will be played at high tempo right from the opening minute. He assessed PSMS will perform far more aggressively than they did against Port FC, meaning Persebaya must be prepared to work hard for the full 90 minutes.

"In my judgement, the match intensity tomorrow will be significantly higher. When they faced Port FC, their game tempo dropped off after conceding. I am confident they will come out far more aggressive against Persebaya. For that reason, we are preparing for a very difficult contest," he explained.

While showing full respect for PSMS, Tavares reiterated that his greatest focus remains on Persebaya's internal development. For him, the President's Cup is primarily an opportunity to identify which players are ready for the official competitive season ahead.

"To be completely honest, right now my biggest priority is not the opposing team, it is our own squad. I want to see which players can deliver consistent top performance, and who is most ready to lead Persebaya into the upcoming Super League," he concluded.

A victory over PSMS will not only greatly improve Persebaya's chances of progressing to the 2026 President's Cup semi-finals, it will also serve as a critical indicator for how far the Green Force's squad rebuild under Bernardo Tavares has progressed.