Manuel Tulipa ahead of the match against Riga: “Ararat-Armenia represents the entire country”

Ararat-Armenia head coach Manuel Tulipa and team forward Zhirayr Shaghoyan took part in a press conference ahead of the first leg of the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round against Latvian side Riga.

The first match will take place on July 7 in Abovyan and will kick off at 20:00 Yerevan time. On the eve of the game, Tulipa spoke about the team’s preparation, new signings, Riga’s strengths, and competition in the goalkeeper position, while Shaghoyan assessed Ararat-Armenia’s readiness for the start of their European campaign.

Ararat-Armenia head coach Manuel Tulipa

— How is the preparation for the match going? What can you say about the opponent and the condition of your players?

— It was very important for me that the key players who led us to the championship remained in the team. We have also brought in new players whom I know well from their performances in Portugal. I am confident they will bring great benefit to the team.

Riga are a very interesting team. I have studied the opponent: over the past three years, they have made major progress in their development, and serious investment has been made in the team. They have made good transfers and have very intelligently combined local players with foreign players. I know several Brazilian players who play for Riga.

I can also say that Riga and Ararat-Armenia are similar in many ways in terms of playing style.

— Did you manage to do everything you had planned during the preparation for these matches?

— I would say that we had very little time to integrate the new players into the team. That is the only problem, because in such a short period it is difficult to introduce new players to the team’s playing style. They also need more time to adapt to a new country.

— What is important for you to get from the first Champions League match?

— Our goal is always to achieve the best possible result. It is also important for me that the team always shows its best football.

I feel a great responsibility because the team will represent not only our club, but the entire country. We want to take into account the mistakes of previous years, go as far as possible in European competitions, and earn as many ranking points as possible.

— How do you plan to contain Riga? Do you know the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses?

— The most important thing for us is to show our football and impose our conditions. Riga are currently in the middle of their season, so all their players are in good physical shape. That is not ideal for us, but we have studied their game and know how to deal with it.

Riga are good in possession. If they gain an advantage in midfield, their forwards use it well and become dangerous. They have quality and technically strong players, so our main task is to deprive them of the ball. By doing that, we will be able to control the game.

— What minimum result in European competitions would you consider acceptable for the team?

— For me, playing in the Champions League is a huge responsibility. It is a serious tournament and a good experience for us.

Personally, I do not set minimum targets for myself. Every match is important to me. We move from game to game, and the main goal is to improve the quality of our play from match to match.

— What can you say about the team’s goalkeeping line?

— This is a very important position for the team, and we pay a lot of attention to improving the goalkeepers’ performance. Last season, Bruno Pinto and Arman Nersesyan performed well, but we decided to part ways with Pinto.

A new goalkeeper, João Bravim, has joined us, and we have high hopes for him. But I should note that this season there will be competition in the goalkeeping position between Nersesyan and Bravim. They must prove their right to play in the starting lineup.

Ararat-Armenia forward Zhirayr Shaghoyan

— There are new players at the club. What can you say about them? Have you had time to get to know everyone?

— Yes, there are new players in the team. They are very good footballers and suit our style of play. I think they will bring a lot of benefit. They can quickly understand the team’s philosophy and adapt to our game.

— How ready is the team for the season at the moment?

— We had a good training camp in Hungary. There were friendly matches, and we played very well against a Serbian representative. So we are ready for the Champions League.

— How well have you studied the opponent?

— Of course, we have studied the opponent. They play very well with the ball. But, like all teams, they have strengths and weaknesses. We must use those weaknesses and win.

— How do you assess your current condition?

— I assess it very positively. We had a very short vacation, so unlike after the winter break, I did not lose my rhythm or physical condition. There were also matches with the national team. So physically, I am well prepared.