Manuel Tulipa After the Victory Over Celje: “We Will Do Everything to Keep Armenia Dreaming”

Ararat-Armenia secured a comeback victory over Slovenia’s Celje in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. The match, played in Yerevan on August 4, ended 2–1 in favor of the Armenian champions.

Manuel Tulipa’s team conceded first but managed to draw level before halftime. Substitutions proved decisive in the second half, as Carlos França came off the bench to score the winning goal and give the Armenian club an important advantage ahead of the return leg.

After the match, Ararat-Armenia head coach Manuel Tulipa assessed his team’s performance, commented on the controversial penalty, explained his substitutions, and discussed what he expects from the return fixture in Slovenia.

Manuel Tulipa’s Press Conference After the Match Against Celje

“They Were Our Toughest Opponents of the Season”

— What moment do you consider to have been decisive in this match?

— I do not want to single out one particular moment. All I can say is that they were the toughest opponents we have faced this season. Celje caused us more problems than any other team.

When they had possession, things were very difficult for us. That is why the return leg will also be extremely challenging.

I would particularly like to thank the players for the work they put in. It is not easy to produce performances of this quality every three days. We played our previous league match on an artificial pitch, and several players completed the full 90 minutes. I am pleased with the way the team played today.

“We Need to Play Even Better in the Return Leg”

— In the previous two ties, the team had poor first halves in the away legs and quickly lost the advantage it had gained at home. How do you plan to address this problem?

— We started today’s match well and, in certain phases, looked better than our opponents. We were particularly effective when we maintained possession for extended periods. We managed to find some interesting solutions, especially on Artur Serobyan’s flank.

However, an incident then occurred that changed a great deal. I am referring to the penalty, which, in my opinion, was highly debatable. The players were too close to each other, so avoiding contact was practically impossible.

Overall, I am satisfied with the way we played in the first half. However, the return leg will be difficult for us regardless. We need to perform even better than we did today.

I believe two evenly matched teams faced each other, which is why the game itself was completely even. At the same time, our personnel losses must be taken into account. Kamo Hovhannisyan has missed the last two matches. Hugo Oliveira could fill his position, but I trust him more in midfield.

At the same time, I am pleased that I can rely on every player included in the squad. Depending on how a match develops, any one of them can have a decisive impact. Today, for example, Michel Ayvazyan played a very important role.

I especially want to highlight the character of our team. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we manage to overcome them and achieve a result.

Tulipa on Trusting Young Players

— In Armenia, we are not very accustomed to seeing a 21-year-old player receive so much trust from a coach in European competition, even if he has strong qualities. What can you say about Michel Ayvazyan, who regularly features in the team? Does everything depend on the individual player?

— I trust players who work hard in training, make intelligent decisions on the pitch, and constantly look for ways to improve their game. That is the main reason.

Michel’s advantage is that he can play in several different midfield positions.

I am convinced that coaches should not be afraid to field young players. If a player is ready, understands how he needs to operate, and approaches his work professionally, there is no need to focus on his age. Michel has a very bright future.

“We Are Proud to Represent Armenia”

— Celje’s head coach said that everything would be different in the return leg and that his team would win. You also noted that the away match would be very difficult. What will be the key to your success?

— Their coach said what he had to say. I also said what I had to say.

But one thing is certain: we have big ambitions. We are proud to represent Armenia on the international stage. Many people greatly underestimate us when they talk about Armenia and believe that football here is not played at the required level. But that is not true.

We have a high-quality club and play high-quality football, and we are happy to prove it.

Of course, we have our own plan, and we will be ready. The return leg is hugely important to us. Ararat-Armenia is ready to raise the level of Armenian football and set a higher standard.

“We Needed Carlos França’s Qualities in This Match”

— I would like to ask about Carlos França. When he comes onto the pitch, he almost always scores or provides an assist. He is genuinely capable of changing a game. When you signed him, did you expect him to perform at such an impressive level?

— I studied Carlos’s game very carefully. In addition, a good friend of mine played alongside him on the same team, so I knew perfectly well what França was capable of.

We are happy to have such strong wide players as França, Shaghoyan, and Serobyan in the Ararat-Armenia squad.

In today’s match specifically, we needed Carlos’s qualities. Of all our wingers, he is the most direct and the one who attacks the goal most frequently.

A lot of space opened up on the flanks in the second half. That is why we needed França, and bringing him on was completely justified.

For each individual match, we make specific decisions and select the players who are best suited to that particular game scenario. That is what we coaches are paid to do.

Banjaki and Shaghoyan could also have been useful, but when there is a lot of open space, França is the player who performs best. That is why he came onto the pitch.

“Age Is One of Football’s Most Common Myths”

— Does it surprise you that a player of Carlos França’s level has never played in one of Europe’s leading leagues by the age of 31? Could it be said that he is good enough to play in one of Europe’s top five leagues, even though he currently plays in Armenia?

— When we studied his game, everyone at the club reached the same conclusion: we had to sign this player.

There are many myths in football. One of them concerns age. At 31, Carlos França possesses phenomenal qualities.

It does not concern me at all that he does not play in one of the leading leagues. I am simply happy that he plays for our team.

Carlos obviously has excellent individual qualities, but we also need to pay attention to the team performance. All our players put in an enormous collective effort.

Look, for example, at how much ground Karen Muradyan covered and how many valuable actions he produced. We definitely could not have won without him.

Above all, the character of this team must be highlighted. The players literally fought their way to victory and did everything possible to achieve it.

I also really enjoy playing at the Republican Stadium in front of crowds of this size. The supporters helped us achieve an excellent result: three home matches in European competition and three victories. I am certain that very few teams can boast a record like that at the moment.

“We Will Do Everything to Reach the Champions League”

— In the previous two qualifying rounds, the team had a two-goal advantage. However, during the first halves of the return legs, it made the supporters extremely nervous before eventually completing the job. This time, the advantage is only one goal. How will you approach the match?

— It is very simple. When we had a two-goal advantage, we could afford to lose by one goal. Now we need either to win or to draw.

I will say it again: nothing will stop us from dreaming. I will do everything to keep this country dreaming.

I assure you that we will make every possible effort to reach the Champions League or, at the very least, qualify for the league phase of the Europa League.

Even if we fail to achieve that objective, it will not mean that we did not try hard enough or did too little to win. It will only mean that our opponents were too strong.

Why Artur Serobyan Was Substituted in the Second Half

— Artur Serobyan played well today but was substituted fairly early. Was that change planned, or was there another reason?

— That was not the original plan. Serobyan picked up a minor injury, and the match was being played at a very high tempo. We decided to protect him ahead of the return leg.

Artur truly produced a phenomenal performance.

I do not want to make excuses, but only three days ago we played a very difficult match on an artificial pitch, beating Gandzasar 4–3. Bueno, for example, played the full 90 minutes in that match.

It is very difficult to recover completely within 72 hours after a game like that. Therefore, I will do everything possible to minimize the risk of injuries. We must not take unnecessary risks with the players’ health.

Ararat-Armenia Take an Advantage Into the Return Leg

The 2–1 victory allowed Ararat-Armenia to take an important step toward the next qualifying round of the Champions League. However, their narrow advantage means the tie remains open.

In the return fixture, Manuel Tulipa’s team will have to withstand the pressure applied by the Slovenian champions and once again demonstrate the character that helped the Armenian club secure a comeback victory in Yerevan.