Coach Sopic praises Beşiktaş: 'Talking about their quality is absurd'

Zeljko Sopic, head coach of Lithuanian side Kauno Zalgiris, expressed admiration for their upcoming opponent, Beşiktaş, describing the Turkish club as one of the nation's top teams. Speaking ahead of their UEFA Europa League play-off match, Sopic conveyed his team's excitement to play at the Tüpraş Stadium.

“

It might be absurd to talk about Beşiktaş's quality. They will likely finish in the top three of their league at the end of the season. They have a quality team with strong players.

"It might be absurd to talk about Beşiktaş's quality. They will likely finish in the top three of their league at the end of the season. They have a quality team with strong players," Sopic stated during a press conference. He acknowledged the demanding schedule his team faces, playing every three days, compared to Beşiktaş, who have had a longer pre-season. "We have had some difficulties. We made some transfers, brought in good players. We will be better than in the Zagreb matches. We are focused on getting a good result. We will do our best tomorrow."

“

We have had some difficulties. We made some transfers, brought in good players. We will be better than in the Zagreb matches. We are focused on getting a good result. We will do our best tomorrow.

Sopic recalled his own playing experience against Galatasaray in Turkey, noting the significant home-field advantage. "Playing here is not easy. It will be a tough match. We play in front of 4-5 thousand people in our country. It can be a bit more in Europe. Playing here will be difficult. We need to enjoy it. We want to show everyone that we can play at this level," he said. He recognized Beşiktaş as the favorite but stressed that on the field, conditions are 50-50.

“

Playing here is not easy. It will be a tough match. We play in front of 4-5 thousand people in our country. It can be a bit more in Europe. Playing here will be difficult. We need to enjoy it. We want to show everyone that we can play at this level.

"In football, everything is equal," Sopic emphasized, adding that his team is capable of scoring. He noted that while Beşiktaş is a strong opponent, factors like luck, refereeing, and team cohesion can influence the outcome. He also referenced his team's previous matches against Midtjylland, suggesting that a different opponent might have emerged if not for red cards in those games.

“

In football, everything is equal.