FK Žalgiris Vilnius face their first official European assignment of the season on Thursday when they take on OFK Petrovac away from home in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
The Lithuanian champions arrived in Podgorica on Wednesday and held their final training session at the match venue ahead of the encounter. Speaking before the game, head coach Andrius Skerla described Petrovac as a disciplined side with an experienced defensive unit and warned that his team should expect a difficult challenge.
Skerla admitted that Žalgiris are still working toward peak form but believes the club’s recent additions have already strengthened the squad.
“As you know, we’ve brought in several new players. They’ve settled into the group and already played a few matches. Naturally, they still need time, but as I always say, time is something you rarely have in football. Even so, I think they’ve integrated well and added greater solidity to the team,” he said.
Asked about the club’s recruitment process, Skerla revealed that he was closely involved alongside the sporting director throughout the search for new signings.
“Every new player had to pass through both of our evaluations. We looked at a huge number of players, and I’m pleased we managed to convince some of those who are now with us. It wasn’t just one conversation. We had several video calls and spent time explaining the project. I think we’ve done a very good job,” he said.
The coach also commented on Ukrainian midfielder Ivan Litvinenko, stressing that the newcomer will need more time to fully adapt.
“He’s been with us for a couple of weeks, but he’s still integrating into the team. I’m looking for the right opportunities to give him minutes, and he’ll get them. We signed him because we expect him to play. Physically he’s in good shape, and I can see he’s coping well with the workload. He’ll get more playing time soon, and we’ll see how things develop.”
Although temperatures in Montenegro exceed 30°C during the day, Žalgiris have trained and will play in the evening, conditions Skerla does not expect to cause any problems.
“I actually think it was tougher a week and a half ago when we played in Telšiai in extreme heat. From what I’ve experienced here so far, the conditions are very good, and I don’t see the weather becoming an issue.”
Skerla said his staff had gathered footage from three of Petrovac’s four pre-season matches after the Montenegrin side resumed training about a month ago.
“From what we’ve seen, they’re a very well-organised and defensive-minded team. They have experienced defenders who have played together for a long time and remained together from last season. We know we’re facing a very difficult match, and we have to make sure we leave with a positive result.”
Žalgiris were also in domestic league action over the weekend, leaving limited time to prepare specifically for the European tie.
“We had three days, so the focus was mainly on recovery. We also spent time analysing video of our opponents and discussing their style of play. We didn’t have much time to prepare on the pitch, but everything has gone well.”
When asked whether he expected the type of provocations often associated with Balkan football, Skerla dismissed the idea.
“From what I’ve seen, I don’t think that’s something we should expect. Of course, anything can happen in football, but it’s not something I spend much time thinking about. I believe this is an opponent we are capable of beating, and we’ll do everything we can to achieve that.”
The Žalgiris coach also highlighted signs of improvement in his team’s defensive performances, an area he identified as a major concern since taking charge.
“The reasons for our earlier problems were clear, but we kept repeating the same mistakes. Over the last two matches, however, we’ve shown much greater stability defensively. Our opponents haven’t created many chances, and that’s exactly what I expect from the players. Defensive organisation was the biggest issue when I arrived, and it was costing us. Fortunately, we’re beginning to see real progress.”
The first-leg clash between Petrovac and Žalgiris kicks off in Podgorica on Thursday at 21:45 Lithuanian time.
Source: https://fkzalgiris.lt/a-skerla-varzovas-gerai-organizuota-gynybiska-komanda/
