Pukštas ahead of Žalgiris: We must come in with a lot of energy from the first minute
Hajduk's midfielder emotionally returns to Lithuania, the land of his ancestors, ahead of the Whites' fifth European test this season.
Hajduk's midfielder emotionally returns to Lithuania, the land of his ancestors, ahead of the Whites' fifth European test this season.
Hajduk's footballers will face Žalgiris as guests on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 7 PM in the first leg of the third qualifying round for the Conference League. This will be the Split side's fifth European test this season. After defeating Žilina and Pafos at home and suffering defeats away, they ultimately advanced past the Slovaks with an aggregate score of 3:2, while they were eliminated by the Cypriots after extra time with an aggregate score of 4:2.
The first match against the Lithuanian representative was announced at a press conference by coach Gonzalo Garcia and midfielder Rokas Pukštas, who did not hide his excitement about returning to the land of his ancestors. "I'm happy to be back. As a boy, I spent many days here. My grandfather, grandmother, and relatives will be at the stadium. I'm excited," Pukštas stated for Index.hr.
The midfielder also revealed a strong family connection to the club they will face tonight. "My father is a big Žalgiris fan. He often sends me news. He grew up here. My whole family is from Lithuania. As a kid, I often visited my grandparents and played football here," he added.
Although he has the option to represent Lithuania or the USA at the international level, Pukštas is clear that club success is his priority. "I'm focused on Hajduk; we need to win tomorrow. I'm not thinking about who I'll represent, Lithuania or the USA, at this moment. Lithuania is a beautiful country, and I'm very happy to be here," he emphasized.
The match will also carry special personal significance as Pukštas will meet Marko Capan, a Žalgiris player and former Hajduk member. "We need to enter the match with a lot of energy from the first minute. We need to have a killer mentality. Capan is a hardworking player. We did a lot of individual work. We've played together since the cadet level. He's a very good friend of mine. I learned a lot from him. I wish him all the best," concluded the Whites' midfielder.
