ROBERT ARZUMANYAN: "WE SHOWED WHAT IT MEANS TO FIGHT"

Our head coach spoke about the match against FC Pyunik.

"First of all, I want to thank our players. They showed what it means to fight until the very end and carried out exactly what we had planned: in the second half, they were supposed to come on and change the game regardless of the scenario. Today, they did just that. We understood that Pyunik were in better physical condition, and we needed the second half. It was a good example that will benefit us in the future—to fight until the end, understand each other, and play as a team. Despite everything, we made mistakes in defense, but today we certainly did not deserve to lose. I think that, apart from the opening stages of the match, one team tried to play football, while the other tried to exploit our defensive issues with long balls. We deserved at least not to lose this game."

- At halftime you said the team had to save the game, but your side only had a clear-cut scoring chance in stoppage time.

-We had plenty of dangerous approaches to their penalty area, several shots, and Petik Manukyan's header. In any case, I don't agree with that assessment.

- The team had a clear scoring opportunity in the second half after the red card.

-In football, you can create chances in the final ten minutes after wearing your opponent down. We believed, and in the end the game effectively finished 2–2.

- What can Rajani bring to the team? And was Kalukyan's departure his own decision or the club's?

- It was a mutual decision.
Rajani puts in a tremendous amount of work. He receives the ball well, finds space, contributes both defensively and offensively, is an intelligent player, and has good finishing ability. We saw that in the first half as well—he hit the post and also had another excellent scoring opportunity.

- Lulukyan has returned to Urartu. How do you see his role in the team?

-He has a very important role. He played another excellent match. Both during preseason and in the friendlies here, he has done a huge amount of work. He's intelligent on the ball, understands the game and space well, and delivers sharp passes. He's a very good footballer. I'd like to thank Ararat's former head coach for trusting him during the spring part of the season and giving him that opportunity.

- Pyunik's head coach said they are starting the season with the goal of becoming champions. What are Urartu's ambitions?

- There are many teams that want to become champions. We're focused on preparing for our next match.

- Bruno Michel played much like he did when he first arrived at Urartu. Does he need another adjustment period?

- That's completely normal for an attacking player. Even when he became the league's top scorer, he made several times more mistakes. None of our players are currently in their best form, unlike Pyunik. We'll continue improving our fitness, and Michel will as well.

- What can you tell us about Aghasaryan's injury?

- There are no injuries. It was simply the first match of the season, played in hot weather and at a high tempo, so it was just muscle fatigue. There's no injury.

- Yuri Gareginyan is now part of your coaching staff. Does he have a specific responsibility, or does he help in general?

- I'm very happy that he joined us. He sees football the same way I do. Together we're working to improve every training exercise so that it fits our playing model. He also helps with match preparation and works closely with the players. I'm very pleased to have him with us.

-The opening two rounds have probably given you the toughest schedule. Is there any positive side to that?

-In football it's hard to say what's good and what's bad. We're facing two teams that have already played several matches and have no issues with match fitness. It would have been difficult to create a tougher schedule intentionally.

I'm not complaining, but if you noticed, from the very beginning the referees could have monitored how long Pyunik were taking over goal kicks, yet they allowed the delays. They should have tried to prevent that.

In any case, it's always good to play against strong opponents. Our next one is Ararat-Armenia, currently the best team in Armenia.

-At the end of last season we often saw Mizoyan playing as a false nine. Can he take on that role again?

- He can. But not at the moment. We've found different solutions. There were matches in which he played in that position, including the Cup final. It depends on our tactical requirements and also on the opponent. He's a versatile player and made a very good impact after coming on in the second half. He's one of those players who was expected to help the team and could make a difference regardless of whether the game was going in our favor or not. We'll see in which match and in which position he'll be needed.

- You've been at Urartu FC for more than a year now. Has the team reached the level you wanted to see?

- I always strive for perfection, but nothing is ever perfect.
However, there have been many matches where we came close to it: when we were leading, defended well, controlled the ball, and controlled our opponents. There were also games against strong teams where we faced some difficulties, but we always try to play each match better than the previous one.