FK Kauno Žalgiris will take on Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb away from home on Tuesday in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie. Ahead of the match, head coach Željko Sopic and attacking midfielder Ivan Fiolic admitted the occasion will be an emotional one, with both having strong ties to Dinamo. During the press conference, Sopic even acted as an interpreter for the Lithuanian journalists, translating questions from Croatian reporters.
For Sopic, who was born in Zagreb and has previously worked at Dinamo, the match carries special significance, although he stressed that his focus is solely on helping Kauno Žalgiris achieve a positive result.
“It is a big day for all of us, especially for me. I have come to my hometown and to my club in the Champions League with Kauno Žalgiris. It is not an easy day for me or my family, but tomorrow I am on the opposite side and I will do everything to win the match. That is my job.”
Fiolic, a product of Dinamo’s academy who made his professional breakthrough with the Croatian club, echoed his coach’s emotions.
“I grew up here and this is where I took my first steps in football. I started my professional career here, so of course it is a special match. But now we just have to give everything we have.”
Sopic dismissed suggestions that Dinamo would be under greater pressure because of their status as overwhelming favourites.
“If you want to be successful in football, you have to want to win every game. It doesn’t matter if you are the underdog or the favourite. You always have to believe in your work and give everything on the pitch.”
Having only been in charge of Kauno Žalgiris for around a month, Sopic admitted one of the biggest unknowns will be how some of his players cope with performing in front of more than 20,000 spectators.
“In Lithuania you usually play in front of 500 or 1,000 people. This will be completely different and there will naturally be more pressure. But honestly, I will enjoy the game.”
The Croatian coach also used the opportunity to highlight challenges facing Lithuanian football, arguing that clubs competing in Europe deserve greater support.
“If Lithuanian football wants to grow, it has to help its clubs more. Clubs represent the country in European competitions, so everyone should want them to achieve the best possible results.”
Sopic also confirmed he has not yet decided which of the club’s recent arrivals will be included in the UEFA squad, explaining that registration rules and a lack of locally trained players have complicated the selection process.
“We’ll make the best decision after today’s training. The club asked me what I needed and worked to bring in the players I requested. Now it’s up to me to decide who will help the team the most.”
With temperatures expected to exceed 35°C in Zagreb, Sopic refused to use the weather as an excuse.
“We came here to play Champions League football. I won’t complain about the heat or look for excuses. Of course, everyone would prefer cooler conditions, but that’s football.”
The first leg between Dinamo Zagreb and Kauno Žalgiris will be played on Tuesday evening in the Croatian capital, with the return leg scheduled for next week at the Darius and Girėnas Stadium in Kaunas.
