Sandro Perković: “We came to Alkmaar not as tourists — our goal is to go through”

Noah head coach Sandro Perković shared his expectations ahead of the second leg of the UEFA Conference League Round of 32 against Dutch side AZ. The match will take place in Alkmaar on February 26 and will kick off at 23:00 Moscow time (00:00 Yerevan time). In the first leg in Yerevan, Noah secured a narrow 1–0 victory.

Sandro Perković’s Press Conference

— What kind of game do you expect?
— We expect a very difficult match. We know the level of the opponent. AZ will play at home with the support of their fans. The game will be different from the first meeting in Yerevan. At the same time, we believe in our qualities and are ready to compete.

— Noah has already achieved a historic success in European competitions. What does this mean to you personally?
— It means a lot. Everyone working in football wants to go as far as possible. We are now at a serious level. Since the summer, the team has improved significantly, and we control matches much better. It is a big achievement, but in football you cannot live on past results — you must focus only on the next game, which is always the most important.

— How are the players feeling after a long flight?
— Everyone is in great condition. Yes, it was a long trip and we crossed three time zones. However, we had a full day to prepare. The weather is perfect for football and the pitch is in excellent condition. We will be fully ready for the match.

— In Yerevan you said that even in case of failure the fans would be proud. Can you repeat that now?
— I believe the fans can already be proud of what we have achieved. Today, I hope for only one thing — that the team competes достойно on the pitch. We did not come here as tourists. We won the first match, and our goal is to go through to the next round.

— What strengths of AZ did you notice? Will psychology be key?
— Psychology always plays an important role in football. It will be significant in this match, but no more than in the first one. We know what awaits us and how strong the opponent is, but we believe in ourselves. In Yerevan, we showed that we are mentally very strong.

— Will Imran Oulad Omar play?
— He is a very important player for us. Imran is technically gifted and high-quality. Unfortunately, he missed a lot of time due to injury. In the qualifiers, he scored three goals against Olimpija, so his importance to the team is great. I believe that tomorrow, in front of his family, friends and compatriots, he will show his best.

— Did he help with advice before the first match?
— Yes, we discussed AZ with him, but in modern football there are many ways to analyze the opponent. There are no secrets for us.

The second leg in Alkmaar will be decisive in the fight for a place in the next round of the Conference League. Noah will aim to protect their advantage from Yerevan and continue their historic European campaign.