Following yesterdays FK Auda’s 1-0 victory over Albanian side Dinamo City in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round, head coach Didier Zanetti praised his team’s performance but insisted the job is only halfway done. The Frenchman also discussed Barthelemy Diedhiou’s winning goal, his team’s maturity, the challenges awaiting in Albania and even shared his thoughts on Spanish referee Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez, who earlier this year officiated El Clasico.
“I think it’s a good win,” Zanetti began. “Good win because we had the control, we had the possession. Of course, sometimes we lost the control in different moments because the opponent has wonderful players. I like the aggressivity of the opponent. I think we need to learn from that attitude because sometimes the opponent plays dirty football and my team is sometimes too kind. But it’s normal because the team is young. Today was a good lesson for the future because we learned a lot.”
Although Auda were unable to extend their advantage after Dinamo City were reduced to ten men in the second half, Zanetti refused to be disappointed with the result.
“It’s only half,” he said. “Of course the opponent played with ten men, but we had the situations. I’m not happy if we don’t have the situations, but we had them. In football the most difficult thing is to create the situations, and we did that. The game continues. We have just an advantage and I think the second game will be the same level.”
When asked whether goalkeeper Nils Puriņš deserved to be named man of the match after several outstanding late saves, Zanetti instead highlighted the collective effort.
“I don’t like the question focused on one player. MVP is for NBA. Football is a team game,” he smiled. “Of course the goalkeeper was wonderful, but also the defenders, the midfielders, the forwards and also the attitude of the players on the bench. Today a lot of players didn’t play, but they are ready for Sunday. My goalkeeper played very well, but I’m very happy because the team played like a team.”
The Auda coach also rejected suggestions that his side should feel frustrated at taking only a one-goal lead to Albania.
“I don’t feel frustration,” he explained. “I came here in October and we started with a defeat against Liepāja. If we discuss where we are eight months later, we have won three games in Europe. I don’t feel frustration. The opponent has won the title eighteen times. It’s a wonderful club, a big club, and today a Latvian club won one more time in European competition. I’m happy because the team played very well and looked the opponent in the eyes.”
Zanetti revealed that his coaching staff largely stuck to the planned approach throughout the evening and was pleased with how his players executed the tactical plan.
“We followed the same plan. We analysed the opponent with different details and the players believed in the game plan one more time. The execution was wonderful. Sometimes it’s only one metre or two metres that makes the difference. Now we have time to analyse everything on video.”
Despite dominating possession, Auda were forced to survive several dangerous moments late on as Dinamo City threatened an equaliser with ten men.
“I think it was just emotion,” Zanetti admitted. “We have young men on the pitch and they don’t have a lot of experience at this level. Sometimes emotion creates problems when analysing situations. In the last minutes, with a good score, it was just about controlling the emotions.”
“The difference is the capacity to keep the discussion. The referees in Latvia also have the capacity, but sometimes it’s difficult. Keeping communication together is better.”
One of the post-match questions focused on Spanish referee Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez, who earlier this year officiated the El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Zanetti had a brief exchange with the official during the first half and was asked what the discussion had been about.
“When I speak with the referee, it’s not against the referee,” he said. “Today the referee accepted to discuss for one minute and explain. I also explained that the opponent was diving every time and asked him to protect the football. After that I think he managed the game wonderfully.”
Asked how working with a La Liga referee compared to his usual experience in the Latvian Virslīga, where he often speaks with officials during matches, Zanetti highlighted the importance of communication.
“The difference is the capacity to keep the discussion. The referees in Latvia also have the capacity, but sometimes it’s difficult. Keeping communication together is better.”
The winning goal came courtesy of Barthelemy Diedhiou’s stunning strike from outside the penalty area, and Zanetti revealed it was an example of the freedom he gives his attacking players to make decisions in the moment.
“It was a wonderful goal for Barthelemy,” he said. “He has a good IQ and he felt the right moment. Eduards Dašķevičs, Wally, Edwin and Kader are the same. We have a lot of players who attack with good habits.”
The Frenchman explained that Diedhiou actually departed from his usual positioning before scoring.
“Normally Barthelemy plays in the second zone, but he felt it was better to stay in this zone. As a coach, it’s very important to say, ‘Okay, maybe the player feels this is better.’ I accept that, and it was a wonderful goal.”
He also praised Eduards Dašķevičs, whose assist for the winning goal capped another impressive European performance despite continuing to manage physical discomfort.
“This is the difference between a good player and the best player,” Zanetti said. “When the level is hard, the player pushes his level. Today he played the full game. He is a warrior. He has a big capacity to recover energy.”
“He has different pain, but today he played very well and the assist was wonderful.”
Looking ahead to next week’s return leg in Albania, Zanetti acknowledged the difficult atmosphere awaiting his side but remained confident that his young squad can handle the challenge.
“I was born in Marseille and worked a lot of games there with pressure. Maybe in Albania it is the same,” he said.
“I hope the referee for the second game decides to protect the football. If the referee protects the football, we have a chance to keep the ball and create. But if the referee decides to follow the fans, then it is difficult.”
