New Backbone Shines, Persib Races to a Winning Streak

Persib Bandung has risen after starting the new season with a series of disappointing results. With the addition of 21 new players, the team nicknamed "Pangeran Biru" has achieved consecutive victories in various competitions they participate in.

Midfielder of Persib, Bekham Putra, weaved through the penalty area of Persis Solo at the end of the 47th minute. When confronted by two opposing players, the player from Gedebage, Bandung City, delivered a pass to his teammate Uilliam Baros.

Baros, the striker from Brazil, skillfully received a pass from Bekham outside the penalty area. In a flash, he unleashed a powerful shot that struck the goal of Persis, guarded by goalkeeper Muhamad Riyandi.

"Gollllllll," the shouts of bobotoh, the nickname for Persib supporters, resounded throughout the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api (GBLA) Stadium.

Uilliam's goal sealed a 2-0 victory for Persib over Persis Solo on Monday night (27/10/2025). The result was even more remarkable as Persib played with 10 players since the middle of the first half.

Previously, the first goal for Persib was contributed by Luciano Guachocea in the 12th minute. Both goal scorers are new players for Persib this season.

This victory not only propelled Persib to the top of the temporary Super League 2025 standings but also extended their positive trend to four consecutive wins.

Persib has collected two victories in the AFC Champions League and two in the Super League. This achievement stands in stark contrast to their guest, Persis, who has fallen into the relegation zone due to not winning in their last eight matches.

Persib, the defending champion of the Indonesian League, is on the right track with consistency and high fighting spirit in every match. This team, which has won the championship four times in Indonesia, currently occupies the 5th position and still has one postponed match.

In the international AFC Champions League Two, Persib occupies the 1st position in Group G with a total of 7 points. The team coached by Bojan Hodak has performed solidly with two victories and one draw.

If this performance is consistent in domestic competitions, Persib has the opportunity to make history by becoming the only Indonesian league champion three times in a row.

Meanwhile, in the ACL Two competition, Persib has the opportunity to advance to the group stage. This achievement will erase the negative results of Persib from last season, where they failed to qualify due to finishing at the bottom of their group.

"I'm very proud of the team's performance. We all worked hard and were able to achieve another win," said Captain Mark Klok.

The player wearing jersey number 23 feels pleased because all the players now share the same mission: to keep Persib on the path to victory.

Klok also expressed his appreciation for the full support from Bobotoh fans. He believes this has been incredibly helpful in keeping the team's mentality of winning every match.

"We got another three points at home. I'm very grateful to the Bobotoh fans who have never stopped supporting us," he said.

Persib is navigating the 2025/2026 season with a different look. Approximately 90 percent of the players who led Persib to the league championship last season have left the team.

The team's management is also working to fill the gaps left by key players such as Ciro Alves, David da Silva, and Nick Kuipers.

Persib has recruited 21 new players in the positions of forward, midfielder, defender, and goalkeeper. Several national team stars, including dozens of players brought in by Persib Bandung, such as Thom Haye and Eliano Reijnders.

Doubts arose in the minds of Bobotoh when Pangeran Biru achieved minor results in several matches. They only secured four victories in their first nine matches. Persib even lost to the promoted team, Persijap Jepara.

The new players are considered not yet in sync with their teammates on the field and with Bojan's strategy. In several matches, there were repeated instances of misplaced passes and positioning errors.

Amid the negative trend experienced by Persib, Bojan's cool hand has shown its effectiveness. The man from Croatia employs a communication approach to unify the vision of his players on the field.

Bojan employs a flexible strategy in accordance with the capabilities of the team he faces. Typically, he utilizes his preferred tactical formation of 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. However, Bojan has also used the 3-5-2 formation.

The results show that the new players of Persib are beginning to make their mark. A total of 16 out of 19 goals scored by Persib were netted by new players. Similarly, in terms of assist creation, 8 out of 10 assists were made by the new players.

One of the standout new players is Uilliam Baros. The player, who was brought in from the Kuwaiti club Al Fahaheel, has already scored 8 goals and provided 1 assist in the Super League and ACL Two competitions.

Persib is now formidable again in both attack and defense. The "Maung Bandung" team has scored 10 goals and has not conceded any in their last 4 matches. A standout player is Federico Barba, who has previously played in Serie A Italy.

Bojan also urged his players to remain serious and focused as they look ahead to the next match. He plans to implement rotation to maintain the team's performance and ensure they continue to perform at their best.

He admitted to feeling at ease with his current squad. He guaranteed that anyone who takes the field will strive to deliver their best performance.

"So, whoever plays, they will play with the same quality. For instance, in the midfield when Thom (Haye) is not playing, we still have several good options. We have midfielders with consistent quality, such as Marc (Klok), Adam Alis, William (Marcilio), and also Luciano (Guaychocea)," he added.

With consecutive wins, Persib has further confirmed its rise as a potential champion this season.

The new players performed cohesively. Gelora Bandung Lautan Api witnessed the emergence of a new backbone for Persib, ready to shine even brighter.