Riga FC will return to UEFA Champions League qualifying on Tuesday for the first time in five years when they face Armenian champions Ararat-Armenia in the first leg of the opening qualifying round. The Latvian champions travelled to Armenia on Monday, where head coach Adrian Guľa confirmed at his pre-match press conference that captain Antonijs Černomordijs will miss the match after suffering a muscle injury in Friday’s 3-0 Virslīga victory over Jelgava.
“Černomordijs is not with us for this game. Unfortunately, his muscle is not yet ready after the game against Jelgava. He felt a problem in his muscle, and there has been very little time since then. He is working every single day with the physiotherapist to be available for the return leg at home. Tomorrow, unfortunately, we cannot count on Černomordijs, but I hope we will be strong as a team,” Guľa said.
Despite losing his captain, the Slovak coach is confident his side can produce a strong performance. “It’s the first qualification round in the Champions League and I expect we will play at the maximum level we can show these days. It will be very important to stay together, to be very solid defensively and very dangerous in attack. We are playing against another champion, so we expect a good game. We will give our best and show maximum for tomorrow. It is very important for us to produce our best performance, show the best team spirit, use our strengths and try to eliminate their strengths.”
Guľa also reminded his players that qualification will be decided over two matches rather than just the first leg. “It’s not just one game, it’s two games. We need to be ready for both games and give our maximum to progress to the next round.“
Having faced Georgian side Dila Gori in last season’s UEFA Conference League qualifiers, Guľa sees similarities with Ararat-Armenia. “I think it’s a little bit similar – a similar style and profile of opponent. They have good individual quality, good dribblers on the wings and good skills with the ball. It’s always good if the players know before the match what they can expect from the opponent.”
The Riga FC coach also insisted his side will not take a cautious approach despite playing away from home first. “We need to play aggressively. We need to show our best performance. My philosophy is always to give your best and keep your DNA. Of course, it’s two games, but we need to be in top shape from the start because if you give these players space, they can be very dangerous. We need to control the game our way, not their way.”
Asked about the rainy conditions in Armenia, Guľa dismissed any concerns. “I think we are very used to this kind of weather in Latvia. It’s not an excuse for us and not something we need to pay attention to. Last year in Georgia it was completely different because of the humidity. This weather will not be an obstacle for us.”
The first leg between Ararat-Armenia and Riga FC kicks off on Tuesday evening in Yerevan, with the return leg taking place in Rīga next week.
