Latvia national team head coach Massimiliano Bellarte has announced the final Latvian futsal squad for the country’s debut appearance at the UEFA Futsal European Championship, which will begin in two days in Rīga, at Arena Riga, with matches also taking place in Kaunas and Ljubljana.
Two weeks ago, Bellarte and his coaching staff named an extended list of candidates competing for the final places in the squad ahead of the Euro finals. The Italian specialist has now made his final decisions, cutting four players from the initial list: goalkeepers Maksims Troickis (Riga Futsal Club) and Artjoms Križanovskis (Nikers), as well as outfield players Maksims Potlovs (Daugavpils) and Artjoms Troickis (Jagiellonia, Poland).
The final 14-man squad includes three players based abroad: Andrejs Baklanovs, Miks Babris, and Edgars Tarakanovs, who currently play in the top divisions of Italy, Portugal, and Belgium respectively. The strongest club representation comes from reigning champions Riga Futsal Club, who provide seven players. TFK Beitar are represented by three players, while Aleksandrs Kuļešovs represents TFK Salaspils.
Latvia will open their Group A campaign on Wednesday with a match against Georgia. Four days later, on 25 January, they will face France, before concluding the group stage next Wednesday against Croatia.
The UEFA Futsal Euro finals will take place from 21 January to 7 February across Rīga, Kaunas, and Ljubljana. Rīga and Kaunas will each host one group-stage and one quarter-final, while the remaining quarter-finals and the final stages of the tournament will be played in Ljubljana.
Latvian National Futsal Team (EURO Finals)
Goalkeepers
- Rainers Mūrnieks – Riga Futsal Club
- Igors Labuts – Riga Futsal Club
Outfield Players
- Edgars Tarakanovs – RSC Anderlecht Futsal (Belgium)
- Andrejs Baklanovs – CDM Futsal Genova (Italy)
- Miks Babris – Futsal Senior FC Famalicão (Portugal)
- Andžejs Mickēvičs – Riga Futsal Club
- Viktors Kuļepovs – Riga Futsal Club
- Renards Ūdris – Riga Futsal Club
- Vlads Rimkus – Riga Futsal Club
- Germans Matjušenko – Riga Futsal Club
- Sergejs Motiļs – TFK Beitar
- Toms Kristians Grīslis – TFK Beitar
- Ņikita Jelagovs – TFK Beitar
- Aleksandrs Kuļešovs – TFK Salaspils
Source: https://lff.lv/zinas/18749/zinams-latvijas-izlases-sastavs-debijai-eiropas-cempionata/
