In the pre-match press conference RFS’s experienced Serbian forward Darko Lemajic spoke with confidence but humility ahead of the Champions League qualifying match against Estonian champions FCI Levadia. With both clubs holding their domestic titles, Lemajic believes the clash will be evenly matched.
“Levadia are a tough opponent, with many players who have individual quality,” said the 31-year-old striker. “It’s going to come down to who wants it more.”
During the press conference, Estonian journalists took a particular interest in the Ikaunieks brothers, recalling Dāvis Ikaunieks’s previous encounter with Levadia a year ago while playing for FA Šiauliai, and also noting that Lemajic himself scored the winner at Tallinn’s A. Le Coq Arena four years ago — in a UEFA Conference League group stage match between Belgian side Gent and Flora, which ended 1–0.
“That was my first group-stage match and my first European goal,” Lemajic recalled with a smile. “I have great memories from that stadium. I remember the fans chanting my name — it made me feel at home in my new club right away.”
Reflecting on the internal competition at RFS, Virslīga’s top scorer with 17 goals, Lemajić, had kind words for his teammate:
“Dāvis is, first and foremost, a friend — and only then a competitor. That kind of competition is healthy; it pushes players to improve.”
He also emphasized that the club’s European ambitions remain high after the recent success:
“Reaching the group stage was a fantastic reward for all the hard work we put in — not just the players, but I believe the coaches felt the same. Everyone wants to experience that again this year. Last season gave us extra motivation, and we’re hungry for more.”
The match at A. Le Coq Arena will take place tomorrow at 19:30 Baltic Time. It will be broadcast live on Soccernet.ee’s YouTube channel with Estonian commentary, while Latvian channel TV4 and Sportacentrs.com will show the game with Latvian commentators.
