Adrian Guľa before Pafos game: “We need to show our best performance”

Riga FC head coach Adrian Guľa has called for a disciplined and complete performance from his side ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Conference League encounter against Pafos FC in Cyprus. The Slovakian manager, who previously coached Apollon Limassol, expressed his delight at returning to the country but emphasised that Riga must be at their very best to compete against the Cypriot side.

Riga FC are preparing for their second match of the Conference League league phase after opening their campaign with a 1-1 home draw against Kairat Almaty. Their visit to Cyprus also marks a return to familiar surroundings for Guľa, who previously worked in the country’s top division.

“I’m happy personally because I’m back after some time. I really appreciated my time at Apollon, a very big club. I’m back in this nice stadium, in this good country, and I’m looking forward to the game,” Guľa said during Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.

“It’s the first time in our club’s history that we can face top teams on the European stage. Pafos are a high-level team. We have a lot of information about them because I also played against them two years ago, although it’s a slightly different team now. I have big respect for Pafos, but I also have respect for my players, and I’m looking forward to the match.”

The Riga FC manager believes his side will need to demonstrate their qualities both in possession and defensively to have a realistic chance of securing a positive result.

“We need to show our best performance, not just with the ball, which is our strength, but also without the ball. We need compactness and top transitions,” Guľa explained. “We have to be strong throughout the whole game because Pafos are not only strong at the start. They also have a lot of experience in changing games.”

Guľa referred to Pafos’ UEFA Champions League encounter against Monaco, which he attended, as an example of the Cypriot club’s ability to influence matches in the closing stages.

“I was here for the Champions League game against Monaco, and they changed the game in the final minutes. That’s also one of their strengths.”

Despite acknowledging the quality of the opposition, Guľa believes the occasion provides his players with the ideal opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities.

“Everything is ready for us to show our best performance. The organisation, the quality of the opponent, the nice stadium, the excellent pitch – everything is there,” he said. “These are the games we fight for throughout the year. We need to show a strong mentality, discipline, quality with the ball and compactness without it.”

Riga FC midfielder Ahmed Ankrah, who accompanied Guľa to the press conference, was even more direct about the team’s ambitions.

“We are all prepared to fight for three points. That’s the only thing we came here for,” the Ghanaian midfielder said. “We don’t want a draw or a 0-0 game. We just want to win and get three points.”

Guľa also reflected on his previous spell in Cyprus, revealing that he continues to follow Apollon Limassol and maintains contact with several people associated with his former club.

“Of course, I follow Apollon. I’m still a fan of the club,” he said. “I follow the players who were here, how they are doing, whether they stayed or moved to different clubs. I still keep in contact with some people at Apollon, and I really appreciated my time there.”

The Slovakian admitted that he had hoped to see Apollon qualify for European competition this season but was pleased that Riga FC had achieved that milestone for the first time in their history.

“I’m happy that we qualified because it’s the first time in our club’s history. We must not just enjoy these games – we need to give our best.”