Tulipa ahead of AZ clash: "We must change to get results"

Ararat-Armenia head coach Manuel Tulipa and midfielder Juan Balanta attended a press conference ahead of their UEFA Europa League 2026/27 league phase Matchday 3 encounter against Dutch side AZ.

The match will take place on October 22 in Yerevan, with kick-off scheduled for 20:45 local time.

After two matches, Ararat-Armenia remain without a point, having suffered defeats against Sparta Prague and Poland's Jagiellonia. AZ began their campaign with a loss to English side Sunderland before defeating Israel's Hapoel Be'er Sheva.

The Armenian club are facing significant squad problems ahead of the upcoming fixture. Kamo Hovhannisyan, Julio Bueno and Zidan Banjaki will miss the match due to injuries, while Alvin Tera remains doubtful.

During the press conference, Tulipa discussed preparations for the match, the importance of maintaining the team's playing philosophy, injury concerns and the prospects of his strikers. Balanta, meanwhile, spoke about the players' physical condition, the demanding fixture schedule and the upcoming opponents.

Press conference ahead of Ararat-Armenia vs AZ

Juan Balanta: "We want to claim our first Europa League victory"

— Expectations were high ahead of your previous match against Jagiellonia. You scored first but ultimately failed to secure a positive result. How would you assess that game?

— It was a difficult match. We started well and scored a goal, but then we had problems with concentration. In any case, the team continues to work and improve. I am confident that in the upcoming matches we will do everything possible to maintain our concentration throughout all 90 minutes and earn points.

— You had some health problems at the beginning of the season. Do you now feel that you are in optimal physical condition?

— Yes, I did have some fitness problems and injuries that had carried over from last season. Fortunately, all of that is behind me now. I am in excellent physical condition and can fully contribute to the team.

— How does having to play matches almost every three days affect the team?

— Of course, such a schedule is physically very demanding. Fortunately, we have a large squad, and the coaching staff manage the rotation well to ensure that we approach every match in the best possible condition. I hope the busy schedule will not prevent us from playing good football.

— You are about to face one of the strongest clubs in the Netherlands. What are your thoughts on AZ?

— There are many strong teams in the Europa League, and our next opponents are certainly among them. However, we want to enjoy playing at home in front of our supporters and, of course, we will try to secure our first victory in the competition.

— Do you notice a difference in quality between the Armenian Premier League and the Europa League?

— The Armenian league is at a fairly high level, with intense and challenging matches. That is why switching to European competition is not particularly difficult for us. We are constantly maintaining our match fitness.

Manuel Tulipa: "You cannot be afraid of strong opponents in the Europa League"

— Ararat-Armenia have lost their opening two Europa League matches. What is the atmosphere like within the team at the moment?

— We fully understand that we are competing in a very difficult tournament. However, we continue moving forward and will try to improve our performances from match to match.

— Would it be fair to say that Ararat-Armenia have not yet reached their peak this season? What needs to be done for the team to perform at its highest level?

— First of all, we need to carefully analyse our previous two Europa League matches, identify the mistakes we made and highlight the positive aspects.

The first thing I would like to point out is that we could have earned points in both matches, but unfortunately we failed to do so. We prepared well, but we made mistakes in certain situations that affected the results.

It is important to understand that the Europa League is the second most prestigious club competition in Europe and perhaps one of the strongest in the world. Therefore, we should not be afraid of strong opponents. We must focus on our own game and correcting our mistakes.

I really want my team never to abandon its playing philosophy, to strive to keep possession and control the game. However, we also understand that in the Europa League, sometimes we have to adapt, change our usual approach and use long passes more frequently.

— How important is it to achieve a positive result against AZ after losing your opening two matches?

— After the first two games, we found ourselves in a difficult position. However, there are still many matches ahead, and the situation can change.

I told the players that there are four teams among our opponents against whom we are capable of earning points. We have already faced one of them, Jagiellonia, and unfortunately we did not get the result we wanted. But we still have three such opponents to play, and we will do everything possible to collect points.

— What is Zidan Banjaki's current condition? How serious is his injury?

— Unfortunately, Zidan has suffered a serious knee injury. We do not yet know when he will be able to return to the pitch. One thing I can say for certain is that he will not play in tomorrow's match.

— AZ already visited Yerevan earlier this year for a match against Noah. Did you study that game while preparing for this encounter?

— Of course. I carefully analysed AZ's match against Noah and also watched three other matches involving the Dutch team this season.

I can say that AZ have not undergone any major changes since then. In that match, Noah adopted a fairly defensive approach, using a formation with five defenders and four midfielders.

However, we intend to play differently. I understand that this is the Europa League and that we are facing a very strong team, but we want to compete on equal terms against opponents of this level.

Perhaps this approach will sometimes cost us points. However, we cannot abandon our playing philosophy or lose our identity. Otherwise, we will simply forget who we are.

— You are known for your ability to influence matches through your decisions and tactical adjustments. However, in the opening two Europa League matches, you were unable to change the course of the game. Have you worked on this aspect?

— We pay great attention to the players' psychological preparation. It is very important that they do not lose their composure in difficult situations and continue to follow the coaching instructions.

We have strong players, many of whom are accustomed to winning and have won championships. I have complete confidence in their abilities.

However, we are currently dealing with significant personnel losses, which have made it much more difficult to make changes during matches.

Kamo Hovhannisyan and Julio Bueno are unavailable. Kamo allows us to maintain a high level of intensity throughout the match and brings character and energy to the team. Bueno, meanwhile, provides tactical flexibility.

In addition, Zidan Banjaki is unavailable, while Alvin Tera's participation remains doubtful. We will do everything possible to compensate for these absences.

AZ play very intense football and actively employ a high press. Therefore, we are expecting a difficult encounter.

In the Europa League, maintaining balance and avoiding mistakes is extremely important. Unfortunately, we made far too many errors against Jagiellonia.

Against AZ, we will try to be more careful, improve our movement off the ball and avoid unnecessary risks.

We must change in order to achieve results. I can see how much our supporters are hoping for that.

We need to control possession as far away from our own goal as possible. This will help reduce the likelihood of mistakes, which are almost inevitable with such a demanding schedule.

— Ararat-Armenia have three centre-forwards. Sandro Lima tends to score more often in European competitions, while Araik Eloyan and Alioune Ndour have mainly been productive in the domestic league. How close are they to becoming the team's first-choice strikers in the Europa League?

— Both players need time. Scoring goals is very important for a striker because a lack of goals affects their confidence. They need to continue working hard and gaining experience.

Ndour is the more experienced player, while Eloyan is still very young but has enormous potential.

Araik works extremely well in training and is developing quickly. I see a very bright future for him. I am confident that he will become a very important player for our team.

I always tell the players that they must be ready to come onto the pitch and help the team at any moment. They need to keep learning, developing and striving to improve. Eloyan demonstrates exactly that kind of attitude.

As for Sandro Lima, he is better suited to combination football. He moves around a lot, links up actively with his teammates and contributes to building attacks. That is why he is currently our first choice in the centre-forward position.

Eloyan and Ndour have slightly different characteristics. They are more focused on playing high up the pitch and finishing attacking moves.

— Since the international break, Ararat-Armenia have won just one of their three matches, and that victory came by a 1-0 scoreline. What does the team need to change to start winning consistently again?

— First and foremost, we need to go onto the pitch with an even greater desire to win while remaining as disciplined as possible.

I have complete faith in my team and my players. The results of our last three matches are not putting any additional pressure on us. We continue working hard and remain focused on our next match.