Lithuanian Champions FK Žalgiris have begun their pre-season training yesterday. Some new faces were spotted among the squad, former FK Auda and Latvian National Team midfielder Aleksejs Saveļjevs among them. Pre-season friendlies against Lithuanian, Latvian and Polish opponents announced.
FK Žalgiris returned to training in preparation for their 2025 A Lyga campaign yesterday. Taking place at the Sportima Arena in Vilnius, more than a few new faces could be seen among the gathering squad. In addition to 13 players from last year’s gold winning team, 4 Žalgiris players that had been away on loan last season, the newly joined goalkeeper coach Valerijus Sitalo, several not-yet-announced newcomers on trial and a number of academy players were present.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of those on trial is former FK Auda and Latvian National Team midfielder Aleksejs Saveļjevs (25), who departed the Riga-based club as a free agent upon completion of his contract at the end of 2024. Saveļjevs has 25 caps and one goal for Latvia, having represented his country at every single youth level. A product of the Skonto academy, Aleksejs spent 4 years playing for various clubs in Italy and had previously represented FK Svyturys Marijampole back in 2017. Since returning from Italy, Saveļjevs alternated between sister clubs Riga FC and FK Auda.
At the end of 2024, there were rumours circulating about significant interest in the services of the Latvian midfielder from large foreign clubs and, at the time of writing, it remains unclear if Žalgiris are the ones to sign him or if he is simply training with the team.
Other two new faces are defender Mohamed Youla and midfielder Dino Salcinovic, both from Orebro Syrianska IF in the Swedish third tier.
The Lithuanian Champions will play their first friendly of pre-season against Latvian Champions FC RFS in Vilnius on the 18th of January. Further tests against BFC Daugavpils, FC Hegelmann, Džiugas Telšiai, Polish Wigry Suwałki, Panevėžys Ekranos are already arranged with more yet to be announced.
Source: https://fkzalgiris.lt/pagrindine-komanda-pradejo-pasiruosima-2025-metu-sezonui/