Pyunik to rejuvenate and strengthen squad ahead of Conference League — club owner

Pyunik owner Anton Farber spoke with the Telegram channel «Будильник Тикнизяна», summing up the concluded season and sharing the near-future plans of Armenia’s most decorated club. As a reminder, the Yerevan-based team finished fourth in the league, missing out on both trophies and medals, but still secured a spot in the Conference League qualification.

According to Farber, despite a large-scale winter reinforcement that included eight new players, the team failed to meet expectations in both performance and results:

“It was a tough season, but there were certainly some positives — primarily qualifying for European competitions. In winter, we carried out probably the biggest reinforcement in the league — eight new players, which was a major investment both in terms of quantity and budget. However, despite all this, neither the team’s play nor the results matched the club’s expectations or the traditional demands associated with Pyunik,” said Farber in his conversation with «Будильник Тикнизяна»

Farber added that during the off-season, the club will develop a clear roadmap with key goals being qualification to the main stage of European competitions and competing for titles. For this, he said, the team will require “targeted reinforcements, squad rejuvenation, and increased competitiveness.”

The Pyunik owner also commented on the situation surrounding head coach Yeghishe Melikyan, who had earlier mentioned a planned meeting with management to discuss the future:

“As for the coaching staff — we’re in constant contact, discussing the current state and plans for next season. I’m not sure what specific meeting he referred to in the interview, but I can confirm that we’re having regular working discussions and all decisions will be made in the best interests of the club.”

The first personnel change was the departure of 31-year-old midfielder Artur Grigoryan, who has left the club.