Latvian Virslīga starts with FK Auda hosting the champions RFS

The Latvian Virslīga kicks off today inside the Mežaparks Sport Village with an exciting match between FK Auda and the defending champions, FC RFS. Game start time – 18:00.

Last season, these two teams started the season against each other at the Mežaparks Sport Village, a match that was filled with drama as Žiga Lipušček scored a game-winning goal in stoppage time.

A year has passed, and many changes have occurred. Both teams had successful seasons last year. FK Auda reached the Latvian Cup final, finished third in the league, and for the first time in their history, they won a round in a UEFA competition, coming just minutes away from reaching the UEFA Conference League playoff round.

This season, Auda has replaced Zoran Zeljkovic with Virslīga title-winning manager Jurģis Kalns, who is looking to replicate his success with Valmiera. He has noted potential similarities between Valmiera during his time there and Auda now.

Auda has added several well-known players to their squad. They now have Latvian national goalkeeper Rihards Matrevics and Roberts Ozols, who will compete for the starting position after a year in Uzbekistan. In defense, they have lost some experience with the departures of Isajevs and Bosančic. However, they signed Emīls Birka, who achieved double-digit assists last season. As well as registering Renārs Varslavāns on the game day. While they have lost experienced players, their youth in the center-back positions could be a concern. They have young options like Diawara, Kragliks (who joined from Valmiera), Meļņiks, and new Brazilian signing Rafael Da Silva Pontelo, all of whom are 22 or younger.

Additionally, they added Ousmane Camara from Riga FC, who is on loan again, and Kemehlo Nguena, who joined as a free agent. The biggest mystery is forward Enzo Monteiro, who is likely to be a starter from day one.

On the other hand, RFS, after their remarkable season, will look to replicate last year’s historic achievements, which included winning the domestic double, reaching the league phase of the Europa League, and becoming the first Latvian team to win a match in that phase.

It has only been 29 days since RFS last played in the Europa League and their victory in the Latvian Super Cup against rivals Riga FC. Although the pre-season has been shorter than usual, it will be interesting to see how they maintain their performance levels as the season progresses.

Last season’s heavy schedule took a toll, with many players suffering injuries for extended periods. Ismael Diomande is still sidelined with an ACL injury, but Petr Mares and Darko Lemajic are ready for the start of the season.

During the Super Cup, one of the team leaders, Herdi Prenga, suffered a knee injury. There has been no official update from the RFS camp, but it did not appear promising. With the transfer market closing soon, they may be urgently seeking depth in that position.

One significant departure is center midfielder Adam Markhiev, who has signed with Aris, although there are rumors he may not stay there long. He will be replaced by Japanese midfielder Yukiyoshi Karashima, regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Lithuanian league over the past few years.

To strengthen their squad, RFS has also signed Mor Talla Gaye and Jeremie Porsan Clemente from FK Auda and Valmiera FC, respectively. These players are proven performers in the Virslīga and will be valuable additions to the Latvian champions.

Will FC RFS secure their third consecutive Virslīga title? While signs may point to a challenge, overcoming the wear and tear of two years of intense competition will be difficult. Nevertheless, to be champions, one must defeat the champion. Despite their fatigue, RFS has demonstrated they can maintain strong performance levels by strategically resting their top players, with little drop in squad quality even when reserve players step in.