Nicola Vitorovic has stepped down as head coach of FK Riteriai as the Lithuanian club grapples with severe financial turmoil, unpaid wages, and a slide down the A Lyga standings.
Troubled FK Riteriai have parted ways with head coach Nicolas Vitorović, who confirmed to our sources from his current location in Latvia (where he is attending a seminar by the Latvian FA) that he is no longer in charge of the club.
Vitorović, 35, hails from Limassol, Cyprus, and took over Riteriai at the start of this season after previously worked at Latvian side SK Super Nova as assistant manager during their victorious 2024 Nākotnes līga campaign.
The Lithuanian club has been gripped by severe financial difficulties this season, with players and staff reportedly going unpaid for an extended period and debts lingering from last year, when Riteriai were competing in Lithuania’s second tier.
Although Riteriai began the season playing attractive football under Vitorović, the situation deteriorated as salary delays triggered an exodus of foreign players and a significant slump in results. The team now sits second-bottom in the A Lyga, just three points ahead of Dainava Alytus from the Dzūkija region.
Vitorović has indicated he plans to speak in more detail about his departure in the near future.
| # | Club | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Kauno Žalgiris | 35 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 41 | 74 |
| 2 | Hegelmann FC | 35 | 20 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 64 |
| 3 | FK Žalgiris | 35 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 62 |
| 4 | FK Sūduva | 35 | 15 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 59 |
| 5 | FA Šiauliai | 35 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 51 |
| 6 | FK Panevėžys | 35 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 46 |
| 7 | FC Džiugas Telšiai | 35 | 13 | 6 | 16 | -8 | 45 |
| 8 | FK Banga Gargždai | 35 | 11 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 41 |
| 9 | FK Riteriai | 35 | 6 | 7 | 22 | -37 | 25 |
| 10 | DFK Dainava Alytus | 35 | 3 | 8 | 24 | -49 | 17 |
