Manuel Tulipa: “We are not preparing to play for a draw. Our goal is to beat Sparta”

A pre-match press conference was held in Yerevan ahead of the UEFA Europa League league-phase Matchday 1 clash between Ararat-Armenia and Sparta Prague.

The Armenian club’s head coach Manuel Tulipa answered questions from journalists. The Portuguese specialist spoke about preparations for the match, the opponent’s strengths, Artur Serobyan’s upcoming transfer, the importance of the fans’ support and the motivation to take revenge for last season’s defeat to Sparta.

Manuel Tulipa’s press conference ahead of Ararat-Armenia vs Sparta

— Mr Tulipa, the time has finally come for Ararat-Armenia to play in the main stage of the Europa League. How can your team overcome Sparta’s advantage in resources and achieve a positive result?

— A year ago we played against Sparta and were unable to win. But after that, a good period began for us: we won the league title and qualified for the Europa League.

Our advantage should be the journey we have gone through to get here. We have done a great deal of work and beaten champions from different countries. First and foremost, it is a credit to the players that we are here, as well as to our supporters — both the club’s fans and the entire country.

But having reached this level, we must understand that we have to live up to it. We also have to take last year’s matches against Sparta into account, especially the game in Prague. I remember that we lost concentration for just ten minutes and ended up losing. At this level, you cannot lose concentration or control of the game.

— A few days ago it became known that Artur Serobyan will leave the team in the winter. How would you comment on this transfer, and could it affect the player’s motivation?

— I do not make decisions on transfers. Those decisions are made by the club. An opportunity arose to sell the player, and the transfer was completed.

Artur Serobyan played very well last season and was named the best player in the Armenian championship. I understand your question, but I have no doubt that until his very last day with our team, Artur will give his maximum and remain fully committed to the club.

— Looking at the teams’ positions in their domestic leagues, Ararat-Armenia are currently in a more favorable situation. How important is that ahead of the upcoming match?

— I have watched Sparta’s matches. Yes, they are not going through their best period right now, but that is understandable. There have been many changes to the squad, and the newcomers are still in the process of adapting.

I understand their head coach Brian Priske — he also needs time. We coaches are not magicians. We have taken all of this into account, studied their game and are ready for the match.

— What advice would you give the fans ahead of the match?

— This is a very important match not only for us, but for Armenian football as a whole. I urge everyone to come to the stadium and support us. Together, we will be stronger.

Tomorrow, we will certainly face difficult moments during the game, and at those times we will need the fans’ support.

— Which players would you single out in the opposition’s squad?

— I do not want to single out individual players, but I can say that Sparta’s attacking line is very strong. All four players operating in attack are of a high level.

They all help build attacks, while the centre-forward often drops deeper and takes part in the build-up. We have to be very attentive to their attacking players.

— Would a draw in the first match be a positive result for you?

— Of course, we understand the strength of the opponent. But our task is to find their weaknesses and win.

I cannot say that I prepared the team to get a draw. Our main objective is to win.

— Will the experience of the two matches against Sparta last season help your team?

— The memories of those games are still very fresh. But a lot has changed since then.

Sparta are now a completely different team in terms of their style of play. And I can say that they have become better despite their less-than-successful recent results.

We have to be ready. They have become stronger individually and have improved physically. It will be a difficult match for us.

— As a coach, do you have additional motivation to take revenge on the opposing coach, given that, unlike the squad, Sparta’s head coach has not changed?

— I can assure you that we have absolutely no problems with motivation. Of course, after last year’s defeat, I really want to win and take revenge.

Once again, I want to highlight the players’ contribution and the journey we have gone through. We have beaten champions from different countries, including the Romanian champions, and now we are here. None of this happened by chance, so our motivation is extremely high. We want to win.

But I also want all of us to enjoy the game in addition to achieving a sporting result. This season in the Europa League, first and foremost, we want to learn and test ourselves at a completely different level.

The most important thing is for matches like these and participation at this level to become normal for us, rather than remain just a historic milestone. This should become a regular occurrence for Ararat-Armenia.

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