Manuel Tulipa after eliminating Riga: “Ararat-Armenia deserve to reach the league phase of a European competition”

Ararat-Armenia head coach Manuel Tulipa commented on his team’s qualification for the second qualifying round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League.

The Armenian champions suffered a 3-2 defeat in the return leg in Riga, but their 2-0 victory in the first match allowed Ararat-Armenia to advance 4-3 on aggregate.

The Armenian side trailed 2-0 at half-time but managed to change the course of the game and score twice after the break. At his post-match press conference, Tulipa discussed the tactical changes, Armen Hambardzumyan’s role, the adaptation of the club’s new signings and Ararat-Armenia’s ambitions in European competition.

In the second qualifying round of the Champions League, Ararat-Armenia will face Irish champions Shamrock Rovers, who eliminated Malta’s Floriana 5-3 on aggregate.

Manuel Tulipa’s press conference

— How did you manage to change the course of the match in the second half after such a difficult opening period?

— The entire match was very difficult. We knew how strong our opponents were. Riga have a completely different playing rhythm because they are in the middle of their domestic season and are in very good physical condition.

The start of the match was extremely difficult for us, although things could have developed differently if we had converted our chance in the opening minutes. I like my team to build from the back through short passes, but our opponents pressed very well. That caused us to make a mistake and concede a goal, leaving us in a difficult situation.

It was important to make the right decisions at half-time. I told the players that nothing had been lost yet. We made several changes: Kamo Hovhannisyan moved to the left side of the defence, while Hugo Oliveira switched to the right, where he feels more comfortable.

However, the introduction of Armen Hambardzumyan was particularly important. He entered the game very well and helped us control possession intelligently.

— In your opinion, where did Riga go wrong?

— I do not think Riga made any specific mistake. Luck was on our side in this tie. At the same time, we were also unfortunate in several situations during the second half and could have scored more goals.

I would particularly like to emphasise how important this success is for us. Eliminating such a strong team is a very valuable result. I am grateful to the players and to every member of the club’s staff. Considering all the circumstances, we did a great deal of work. This result should be valued very highly.

— In European competition, it is particularly important to get through the first qualifying round of the Champions League. What are the team’s goals from this point?

— We are not making long-term plans. It is important for us to try to win every match and take things one game at a time.

We are not often considered favourites, but both the club and I personally always want to face top teams. Difficult ties like this give us extremely valuable experience.

I am confident that our team deserve to reach the league phase of a European competition. We will try to earn as many coefficient points as possible for Armenia.

— What problems did you identify during this tie, and what needs to be improved to progress further?

— The main problem was that we could not match our opponents’ playing rhythm. Riga have already played around 20 matches in their domestic league, so they were at a different level in terms of speed and movement.

Sandro Lima and Bruno Wilson have spent only around 15 days at our club. One of our main tasks at the moment is helping the new players adapt. We will continue working on that.

In my opinion, Riga had the stronger squad in terms of individual names. In such a situation, it is especially important for a team to achieve a result by making the right decisions on the pitch. We demonstrated that, and it is why we advanced.

I would also like to mention another important point. Can you name another Armenian club with so many Armenian players and national-team footballers in its squad? We have Kamo Hovhannisyan, Artur Serobyan, Zhirayr Shaghoyan, Edgar Grigoryan, Armen Hambardzumyan, Karen Muradyan and other players.

Many clubs compete in Europe with a large number of foreign players. We give Armenian footballers the opportunity to perform at this level, which contributes to the development of domestic football. It is a major achievement for the club and coaching staff that Armenian players have decisive roles in our team.

— Which team would you like to face in the next rounds?

— I would really like to play against Bayern Munich, but that is not possible at this stage.

Speaking about our possible opponents in the second round, I remember one of Shamrock Rovers’ matches against a Portuguese team, which the Irish club won. They are a very strong side.

I would also have been interested in facing Floriana because they are coached by a Portuguese manager. An Ararat-Armenia versus Floriana tie would have been interesting.

At the time of the press conference, Ararat-Armenia’s next opponent had not yet been determined. Shamrock Rovers later defeated Floriana 5-3 on aggregate to qualify for the second round.

— We would also like to ask specifically about Armen Hambardzumyan’s role. How important is the captain to the team?

— Very often, when I get home, I ask myself why I do not start Armen Hambardzumyan. He understands the game extremely well, which is why I use him in two different positions.

The number 10 role is his best position. He knows how to play the right passes. Sometimes I also use him as a number eight alongside a defensive midfielder.

Today Edgar Grigoryan suffered an injury, so we were forced to make several risky decisions. At one point, we had five attack-minded players on the pitch at the same time.

In that situation, Hambardzumyan produced a level of performance in midfield that very few players are capable of. He remained calm in possession, made the right decisions, played accurate passes and made almost no mistakes. I rate his performance very highly.