Latvia’s World Cup qualifying campaign ended with a defeat in Serbia, but head coach Paolo Nicolato walked away from Leskovac sounding more optimistic than disappointed. The Italian not only praised his squad’s progress but also made it clear he hopes to continue leading the national team beyond the end of his expiring contract.
Latvia struck first on Sunday through Vladislavs Gutkovskis and created chances to extend their lead before Serbia turned the match around with well-timed second-half substitutions. Despite the loss, Nicolato focused on the bigger picture rather than the final scoreline.
“We weren’t at full strength and the physical condition of the squad wasn’t ideal, but the performance itself left me very pleased,” he reflected after the game. “The players kept recovering their shape, fighting for the ball, and restarting attacks. We’ve worked hard to improve our offensive play, and over the last four matches you can clearly see that work paying off.”
For Nicolato, the commitment and adaptability shown by the squad have been the most encouraging signs of his tenure.
“The players fully embrace what we are asking from them, and they’re executing it well,” he said. “Serbia are a very strong opponent, so competing at this level is already a step forward. We’ve introduced a lot of changes and the direction is right. Even our defeats have come in tight matches against quality sides.”
With his contract set to expire at the end of November, Sunday’s fixture could have been Nicolato’s final match in charge. Yet the coach made no secret of his desire to remain at the helm.
“My deal runs out soon, and we’ll see what happens next,” he said. “But yes – I would like to continue with this team.”
Nicolato has overseen 20 matches since taking over the Latvian national side, registering three wins and seven draws. Ahead lies a crucial challenge: a two-legged play-off against Gibraltar in March to determine whether Latvia stay in League C of the UEFA Nations League.
Before arriving in Riga, the 58-year-old spent years shaping Italy’s youth national teams from U-18 to U-21 and built experience across several clubs in his homeland. Whether his work with Latvia will continue now rests in the hands of the federation – but Nicolato’s message is clear: he believes the project is moving forward and wants to be part of its next chapter.
Source: https://lff.lv/zinas/18648/gada-pedeja-spele-ieguta-vadiba-un-saspringta-cina-pret-serbiju/
