As Latvian champions RFS prepare to face Estonian title-holders FCI Levadia in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, head coach Viktors Morozs struck a humble tone in the pre-match press conference held a day before the highly anticipated fixture.
“We’re in good spirits. The recent performances have been strong, and we’ve prepared well and seriously for this match because the opponent is of high quality,” Morozs stated. “Last year they were dominant champions, and this season they’ve continued to play great football. We’ve analyzed their game and tried to identify possible weaknesses. We’re ready for a tough battle.”
Despite RFS reaching the group stages of the UEFA Europa Conference League and Europa League in the past two seasons — a milestone that Levadia has yet to achieve — Morozs was reluctant to accept the “favorites” tag.
“I don’t want to think that way. Previous results don’t matter now — this is a matchup between two national champions. Becoming champions is never easy and always speaks to a team’s class. Everything will be decided on the pitch,” he added.
When asked about the secret behind RFS’s European success, Morozs didn’t offer a singular answer: “There’s no one-size-fits-all explanation in football. Players must take responsibility, and it’s the coach’s job not to get in their way. The most important thing is to be ready for every match, and that’s how we’ve approached this.”
Morozs admitted he couldn’t compare the strength of the current Estonian champions with previous seasons. “I haven’t analyzed the Estonian league in depth before. Of course, I know the top clubs that have featured in European competitions, but I only began looking into Levadia in detail after the draw.”
When asked why it remains so difficult for many Baltic clubs to reach the group stages of European competitions, Morozs replied, “There’s no easy answer. We focus on our own club’s work, and it’s hard to say why others haven’t made it this far. That said, Flora and Žalgiris have managed it. Recently, it has become a bit easier for national champions. We’ve learned that it’s possible — and that’s why we keep pushing. If a club has a plan, the opportunity exists.”
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.
