Тренер Латвии рассказал о ротации состава и планах на матч с Арменией

Latvia head coach Paolo Nicolato has spoken about the team's squad situation ahead of the start of the Nations League, paying particular attention to the demanding schedule that will see Latvia play four matches in a short period of time.

One of the main topics was the call-up of Dennis Cirkin, who previously represented England at youth level but has now decided to play for Latvia.

Nicolato said the player is not yet in optimal physical condition, having started his season only around five weeks ago. As a result, the coaching staff, together with the player and his club, agreed to limit his workload.

Cirkin will take part only in the first two matches of the current international window.

This means the defender is expected to be available for Latvia's opening Nations League match against Armenia on September 25 in Yerevan.

“Four matches in such a short period would be too much for him. Together with the player and the club, we decided that he would play in the first two matches. I think it is a balanced decision that suits all parties,” Nicolato explained.

The Italian coach also spoke about two newcomers to the national team — Armenian-born Alberts Aleksanjans and Markuss Strode, both of whom he knows well from his work with the youth team.

According to Nicolato, Latvia need to refresh their squad and expand the pool of players available for selection. The coach stressed that when choosing players, he focuses primarily on their current condition rather than their former clubs or past achievements.

Nicolato believes both players have good prospects with the senior national team. The main positions of Aleksanjans and Strode are on the flanks, although the coach does not rule out using them in other areas of the pitch.

The Latvia coach also addressed the unusually demanding schedule. During the September-October international window, his team will have to play four matches, and Nicolato admitted that this creates additional difficulties.

“You know that we have always found it difficult to maintain our level in the second match. Now we will also have a third and a fourth. It is not easy, so we need an additional option in every position,” the coach said.

Nicolato also declined to name a specific number of points he would like Latvia to collect from the four matches. According to him, the team's objective is to fight for victory in every game.

The coach admitted that he has missed winning and expects results from his team, stressing that hard work alone is no longer enough.

For Armenia, these comments are particularly interesting ahead of the opening match. Latvia arrive in Yerevan needing to manage their players' workload across four fixtures, but for the first match of the window Nicolato will still be able to count on Cirkin and other key players.

The Armenia vs Latvia match will take place on September 25 in Yerevan and will be the opening fixture of the new Nations League campaign for both teams.