Gabriel Couto on Ararat-Armenia’s draw with Universitatea: The 1-1 score reflected the game

Ararat-Armenia assistant head coach Gabriel Couto answered journalists’ questions following the first leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off round against Romanian side Universitatea Craiova.

The match in Craiova ended in a 1-1 draw. The second leg will take place in Yerevan on August 27.

Ararat-Armenia head coach Manuel Tulipa watched the match from the stands due to suspension and was therefore unable to take part in the post-match press conference.

Post-match press conference: Universitatea Craiova — Ararat-Armenia 1-1

— Judging by the way the match unfolded, would you say that a draw was a fair result?

— Yes, the result reflected the game. It was an evenly matched contest. We had several goalscoring chances, but our opponents had opportunities as well. So, taking everything into account, the score was fair.

— There were a lot of fans at the stadium today, and the atmosphere was difficult for the visiting team. In addition, just a week ago you also played a European away match against Celje. Did all of this affect the team’s performance?

— Overall, I rate the team’s performance very highly. The experience we gained from our previous European matches helped us. Now we need to analyse our performance so that we can play even better in the second leg.

We prepared well for this match and analysed our opponents, which helped us create several goalscoring chances. Everyone could see how strong this team is, so I think we did a good job.

— You replaced Beni Dias with striker Carlos França. Did the tactical system change after that substitution?

— Nothing changed. Zidan Banjaqui simply moved into midfield because he is very comfortable on the ball. Beni was very tired.

It was very important to bring França on, given his speed. He helped us not only in attack but also defensively. We needed a fresh player on the flank.

— Hugo Oliveira had an excellent game but was substituted. Was that because of an injury?

— Yes, Hugo really played an excellent match and he is in good form at the moment. He was substituted because of fatigue. He has no injury.

— After this match, can Ararat-Armenia now be considered the favourites in the tie?

— We never approach matches with thoughts like that, and we do not think about who the favourite is. There was a fantastic football atmosphere in Craiova. I hope it will be the same in Yerevan and that the support will help us advance to the next round.

We went into this match aiming to win, but the game showed that the teams are roughly evenly matched, and the final score was deserved.

— Did the fact that the head coach had to watch the match from the stands affect the team?

— Yes, of course. He is our leader, so his absence from the bench had an impact on us. But we were in contact with him. We are also part of the team, we have to do our job, and we tried to help the players as much as possible.

— Today Artur Serobyan played almost as a defender, in a wing-back role, which made him less visible in attack. How much did that affect his performance and the team’s result?

— First of all, it must be said that Serobyan played an excellent match. To a certain extent, he sacrificed his attacking game because the team needed his help defensively.

We had planned this from the beginning, and everything worked out the way we wanted. In addition, our opponents forced him to drop deeper into defence. Every player is given a specific task before the match, and Serobyan carried out his perfectly.

Of course, when we had possession, we were not able to make full use of his attacking potential, but we understood that the match could develop in exactly this way. That is why we are pleased with his performance.