by Mantas Aliukonis
At 32, Ernestas Veliulis remains one of the most recognizable names in Panevėžys football. The attacking midfielder—who can also slot in behind the striker—has weathered highs and lows since joining FK Panevėžys in 2019. Despite a sluggish start to the 2024 season that sees the club in 5th place, Veliulis is optimistic: players are returning from injury, momentum is building, and the team is beginning to rediscover its identity.
Veliulis himself has been a bright spot—netting two goals and adding three assists in the first half of the campaign.
But the road here has not been easy. After the club’s historic 2023 title win, FK Panevėžys spiraled. The team flirted with relegation and crashed out of European competition, while internal tension and an unsettled squad disrupted any rhythm on the pitch.
In between training sessions, Veliulis sat down with us to revisit the unraveling of that title defense, the painful Conference League lessons, a blocked transfer to Thailand, and the wisdom he wishes he’d known back in 2010.
“We Didn’t Respect Our Opponent”
Panevėžys’ humiliating 8th-place finish in 2023 left a bitter taste. Asked what went wrong, Veliulis doesn’t point fingers—but he’s frank:
“The season was bad. We lost key players, had a poor start, and there was no single reason behind it all.”
Their 2023 Conference League campaign also collapsed early. In the first leg against Welsh champions The New Saints in Vilnius, the team looked lifeless.
“We underestimated our opponents. We couldn’t build attacks and got drawn into their physical style.”
The team only avoided relegation thanks to a late-season push. Yet Veliulis maintains it wasn’t the most psychologically difficult year of his career:
“That would be my time in Jonava. We had a good squad, but we still got relegated.”
A Transfer Blocked and Past Regrets
Last summer, Veliulis made headlines by scoring twice against Finnish champions HJK Helsinki. A move abroad seemed imminent.
“Muangthong United from Thailand reached out—my former coach invited me. I’m not sure if there was a formal offer made to Panevėžys, but the club didn’t let me go. I don’t even know if a transfer fee was offered.”
His one regret? Signing for Daugava Riga in 2010 after a solid year at Kruoja Pakruojis.
“I wouldn’t do that again.”
Still, the midfielder has no complaints about his journey. He made his senior debut for Lithuania in 2016 and has seen the game from nearly every angle. Asked whether he’s reached his peak:
“Yes, I think so.”
On the Future of A Lyga Talent
Veliulis is quick to praise teammate Domantas Vaičekauskas:
“He gives everything and works hard. If he keeps it up, he can be a very solid player.”
He believes young midfielder Matas Remeikis—currently struggling for minutes in Bulgaria—just needs more time:
“He’s young, it’s a new league. He has what it takes.”
The most underrated player in A Lyga, according to Veliulis?
“Joris Moutachy.”
Off the Pitch: Asia, Films, and Lamb Chops
Veliulis spent last winter traveling through Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, drawn by the region’s culture and nature. He isn’t sure what post-football life holds yet, but he has opinions on everything from films to football brawls.
- Favorite director? Emilis Vėlyvis. Favorite film? Zero I.
- TV: Married with Children over Women Lie Better.
- Recommends: Gomorrah (TV series).
- Favorite dish? Lamb chops.
- Most annoying journalist question? “How do you evaluate the match?”
- Last book read? Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita.
- Pets? Dogs.
- Hair color preference? “Doesn’t matter.”
- Funniest moment? A brawl during a Kruoja training session in 2010.
And on more serious notes:
“No, I’ve never been asked to fix a match.” “No superstitions. And I don’t remember the last time I cried.” “I can’t say how many A Lyga players have received offers to fix matches or used recreational drugs—I have no idea.”
His closest friend from football? Rokas Simanavičius. Coach who made the strongest impact? João Luis Martins. And when asked to pick between coaching greats:
- Robertas Poškus or Vacys Lekevičius? “Poškus. I liked him as a coach and player.”
- Konstantin Sarsanija or Vladimir Čeburin? “Čeburin—his titles speak for themselves.”
Despite the missed transfers, team chaos, and title hangover, Ernestas Veliulis remains grounded. Still sharp, still influential, and—after 15 years—still loving the game.
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