After Latvia’s narrow 0-1 defeat to Albania at the Air Albania Stadium, Baltic Football News caught up for a quick chat with Bruno Melnis. The 21-year-old forward made his third appearance for the national team, coming off the bench and bringing fresh energy to the game. Melnis reflected on the bittersweet emotions of the night, the surprise of being deployed on the wing, and what the team is still lacking in the final third.
First impressions after the match?
B.M.: “Honestly, I’m happy to play in a stadium like this, with that kind of atmosphere. It was an emotional game, and I really think we should have taken at least a point, scored a goal, and gone home with something positive.”
You mentioned the big stage. Have you ever played in front of such a large crowd before?
B.M.: “No, I’ve played in bigger stadiums, but never with this many fans. This was probably the first time I’ve been in front of around 16,500 spectators. The atmosphere was special.”
When you came on, you spent a lot of time on the wing. Was that what the coach had asked of you?
B.M.: “Actually, I didn’t expect to play wide, but the coach told me to stay active and attack. That was the main instruction.”
From the stands it looked like you had a couple of chances to shoot from distance. You’re known for a good long-range shot – did you hesitate?
B.M.: “Yes, I thought about it afterwards in the dressing room. I probably should have taken the shot myself. On the pitch, I felt my teammate had a better position to create something, but in hindsight… I should have gone for goal.”
Head coach Paolo Nicolato has spoken again about problems in the final third. From your perspective, what’s missing?
B.M.: “It’s tough – two games, no goals. I think the issue is the pass right before the shot. We build well from the back, move the ball through midfield, but the final ball that leads to a shot just isn’t there.”
This was your second substitute appearance of the international break and third cap so far. How important is this experience for your confidence at club level?
B.M.: “It’s definitely valuable. Playing against this kind of opponent in this kind of stadium helps me grow, gives me confidence. Of course, it’s a shame we didn’t get the result as a team.”
After the match, Nicolato gathered the players in a huddle at midfield – I think it was a first since he took charge. From the outside it looked intense. What was the message?
B.M.: “It might have looked like he was shouting, but he just told us not to drop our heads. He said we have to keep working, keep fighting, and start delivering results.”
