Robert Arzumanyan’s Press Conference Ahead of the Match Against Neman

On the eve of the UEFA Conference League qualifier against Grodno’s Neman, Urartu’s head coach Robert Arzumanyan spoke to the media at a press conference. The match will take place on July 10 in Yerevan.

— We had a very good preparation period, played several friendlies, and used the time effectively. I made it clear to the players what I expect from them, — Arzumanyan said. — We have a balanced team. We’ve kept the core group, all the players are of high level. We’ve signed two defenders — Tsymbalyuk and Bratkov. The former has already played for Urartu and knows the team well. The latter also has experience in Armenia and doesn’t need time to adapt.

The coach emphasized how happy he was to return to his home club.

— I have warm memories from my previous spell here. This is my team, and it’s nice to be part of Urartu again. Back then I worked with the youth squad, now I feel confident and positive.

He also noted that there are no weak links in the current squad.

— We have quality players in every position. Of course, there’s always room to grow, but I’m satisfied with the team.

Arzumanyan also mentioned Neman’s striker Yegor Zubovich.

— We played together at Polish club Jagiellonia, we were friends and talked a lot. I told him about Armenia, he told me about Belarus. But that was 14 years ago…

He showed respect for the opposing team’s head coach as well.

— Neman’s coach is experienced, has been with the club for eight years, won two Belarusian Cups, and the team has progressed under him. Of course, every team has strengths and weaknesses, but everything will be decided on the pitch.

Arzumanyan noted that the situation at Urartu now is different compared to his first time.

— Back then, everything was built from scratch. Now, thanks to Dmitry Gunko, there’s a solid foundation. Even our approaches are similar. There’s no need to start over — we must build on what we have.

He concluded by touching on the home-field factor:

— Yes, we’re playing in Yerevan, which matters, and the return leg is on neutral ground. But the Belarusians are used to that and know the Hungarian stadium. In modern football, the pitch matters less. It all comes down to the details. We can surprise the opponent, and they can surprise us.

Urartu vs Neman: European Showdown Preview