Sandro Perković: “There Is No Favourite Against Zimbru — We Must Give Everything for the Full 90 Minutes”

Noah head coach Sandro Perković spoke about the team’s preparations for the new season, assessed the new signings and shared his expectations ahead of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round tie against Moldovan side Zimbru. The first leg will take place in Chișinău on July 23.

— What condition is the team in ahead of its first match of the season?

— We lost several important players during the summer, but we managed to find worthy replacements for them. All of the new signings have adapted well to the team. They quickly embraced our philosophy and became important players within a short period of time.

We had a productive training camp and played friendly matches against strong opponents. I am very pleased with the work we have done, and I hope we will show the results of that work in our competitive matches. Fortunately, we managed to avoid injuries, so we are approaching the upcoming game in good shape.

— What did the team learn from its previous European campaign, and will that experience help in the upcoming matches?

— Every experience, whether positive or negative, helps us develop. However, every season in football is a new story. We are ready to represent our club and our country on the international stage at the highest possible level.

— What can you say about the new forwards, Lazetić and González? To what extent can they replace Mulahusejnović and Aias, who performed successfully? Lazetić has played for well-known teams but has not scored many goals. How do you assess that?

— We signed three forwards. We should not forget Doumbia either, who joined us from Ararat. We did indeed lose some important players during the summer who helped us greatly last season. However, the new signings have settled into the team well and convinced me during the friendly matches that they can help us.

It is always good to have healthy competition within a team. All three forwards have different qualities and represent different playing profiles.

As for Lazetić, I know that things have not gone well for him recently. When we were preparing to face Aberdeen in the Conference League last season, we studied his performances. He played well in that competition and showed football of a very high level. I am happy that we managed to sign a player like him.

I would also like to mention Mario González. He has played at the highest level, is highly professional and possesses great quality. We have not reached our peak yet, but you will see a good performance in tomorrow’s match.

— Noah have previously started in the qualifying rounds and reached the league phase of the Conference League. Do you think the team can repeat that achievement this season?

— Of course, we can repeat it. We have everything we need, and we will do everything possible to achieve that goal. But to be honest, right now I am focused exclusively on tomorrow’s match.

— Last season, we often saw a pragmatic Noah side. Is there a possibility that the team will play more attacking football this season?

— I love winning, and we play in order to win. To win, you have to score goals and attack.

I want my team to be reliable defensively while constantly creating danger in attack and converting chances into goals. It is important to make confident use of our opportunities.

Last season, we came close to being both the best defensive and the best attacking team in the league, had it not been for the three goals we conceded against Ararat. I want us to score as many goals as possible.

— Last season, you went far in European competition but were unable to become Armenian champions. If the team reaches the league phase this season, is the current squad capable of successfully competing on two fronts?

— Yes, of course. We have a balanced squad, with several players available in almost every position. Tomorrow, you will see everything on the pitch.

— Zimbru’s budget is several times smaller than Noah’s. How thoroughly have you studied your opponents, and do you understand how to play against them?

— Last season, we managed to defeat AZ, whose budget is significantly larger than ours. It is difficult even to say how many times larger it is.

We have watched all four competitive matches Zimbru have played this season. We have great respect for our opponents and are preparing for a difficult game.

— Who is Zimbru’s most dangerous player?

— I cannot single out one particular player, but they have several very high-quality footballers in their squad.

— Moldovan journalists consider Noah the clear favourites in this tie, given your team’s impressive results. Could any circumstances change the balance of power during the match itself?

— Zimbru have quality players. They are a good team. I do not think there is a clear favourite in tomorrow’s match.

We need to give everything for the full 90 minutes and play our best football. Zimbru have one advantage: they have already played four competitive matches, while tomorrow’s encounter will be our first game of the season.

At the end of the press conference, Sandro Perković congratulated the Armenian clubs on their successful start to the European season.

— I would like to congratulate all the Armenian teams on their successful start to the European campaign. Ararat-Armenia played an excellent match against Shamrock Rovers, and the team has a good chance of progressing to the next round.

I am very happy with these results because I know how competitive the Armenian league is. It is pleasing to see that this is also being confirmed in European matches. I wish all of our clubs continued success.