V. Čeburinas: "It will be hot for both teams"

2024-08-01 14:16 © E. Žaldario

On Thursday, the "Žalgiris" team faces perhaps the most serious test of the year – the return match in the UEFA Conference League against the Cypriot Cup winners, the "Pafos" club.

After winning the first match 2:1, the Vilnius team will have to defend their lead in Cyprus, over 2,000 kilometers from home, against an ambitious and financially strong opponent still considered the favorite.

New stadium

On the eve of the match, Wednesday evening, the Žalgiris players held a training session at the Limassol "Alphamega" stadium, where the duel will take place.

The conditions for the Vilnius team here will be unusual – both due to the natural grass pitch and the temperature, which reaches over 30 degrees even in the evening.

However, the opponents will not have a complete home advantage. "Pafos" plays its championship matches in its own stadium, while the Limassol arena was only shifted for UEFA matches. Normally, three Limassol clubs – AEL, "Aris," and "Apollon" – play here, and the stadium is owned by the state.

The stadium, which can accommodate 11,000 spectators, opened its doors two years ago and cost 45 million euros, financed by the main state sports institution; Cyprus' sports organization entrusted the management to the clubs.

At the end of last year, the Cyprus national team played two matches here – qualifying against Spain and a friendly match against Lithuania. In the latter match, Žalgiris player Ovidijus Verbickas was on the bench.

The "Pafos" club will play home matches here for the second time. In their first match on July 18 against "Elfsborg," around 4,500 spectators attended the stadium. A similar turnout is expected this time. Among the spectators will be several dozen who came from Lithuania and compatriots living in Cyprus.

A separate duel

Although the Žalgiris players have a one-goal advantage after the first match, according to V. Čeburinas, they are expecting a different game than in Vilnius.

"The second match is like a separate duel. Both teams understand the importance of the match. The mindset is very serious. We are expecting tough and challenging gameplay. Based on the first match, teams are preparing their strategies. We have analyzed our own game and that of our opponents. An interesting duel awaits," said "Žalgiris" coach Vladimir Čeburinas before the match.

"At home, we took a small step, albeit towards our goal. We need to adapt to the weather conditions, but we had two days. The stadium and pitch are good. We must overcome this barrier," said captain Ovidijus Verbickas.

The coach stated he was satisfied with the decision to arrive for the match not the day before, as usual, but earlier – on Tuesday.

"I think it was a good decision because arriving the day before the match and having only one training session would be difficult for the players. The flight isn’t easy; we spent a lot of time in the air. Upon arrival (on Tuesday), we moved our legs a bit. The conditions are normal, although the weather is very humid. It will be hot for both teams," said V. Čeburinas.

Aiming to score first

Opposing coach Juan Carcedo emphasized that "Pafos'" main task is to score first. So far, in three European matches, "Pafos" has conceded first.

"I think it’s important for the opponents to feel uncomfortable. It’s important for us to be effective and capitalize on our chances. We will try to dominate and attack, but we know we also need to find a balance because "Žalgiris" holds the ball well and counters effectively," said the coach.

"We know that it’s time to move forward. We didn’t play as we wanted to or as we can, but now there are no excuses. We need to show what we are capable of," said midfielder and one of the team veterans Vladas Dragomiras.