Žalgiris coach: I felt the aura of Poljud
Andrius Skerla, the strategist of the Lithuanian club, recalled his visit to Split while Valdas Dambrauskas was in charge and analyzed the current form of the Whites ahead of their European clash.
Andrius Skerla, the strategist of the Lithuanian club, recalled his visit to Split while Valdas Dambrauskas was in charge and analyzed the current form of the Whites ahead of their European clash.
Žalgiris Vilnius will host Hajduk Split on Wednesday in the Conference League qualifiers. Ahead of the match, the Lithuanian side's coach Andrius Skerla revealed that he is well acquainted with the strength and atmosphere surrounding the Split club, but also pointed out their current weaknesses.
Skerla, a 49-year-old former PSV defender and long-time Lithuanian international, had the opportunity to get to know Hajduk firsthand. It was during the time when his compatriot Valdas Dambrauskas was at the helm of the Whites.
"We joke that it was an internship... It's a big club with a huge fan base. I attended their matches and training sessions and felt the aura of the stadium. It's incredible how much people love football and the club. The impressions were strong,"
Skerla admitted in an interview with Sportklub.
It is precisely because of that fiery atmosphere at Poljud that the Lithuanian tactician does not hide his relief that the return leg will be played in Vilnius. He is aware of the difference in quality and does not believe that miracles happen often.
"I would prefer not to have to go into the return leg in such a difficult situation. We pulled off a miracle in the previous round, but miracles don't happen often. You have to understand that Hajduk is a team of a completely different caliber. If we repeat the result from the first leg in Tbilisi, we would have very little chance of recovery,"
he said, referring to his team's sensational 7-2 victory over Dinamo Tbilisi in the second leg of the previous round.
Skerla analyzed Hajduk's early-season performances in detail, noting a pattern his team could try to exploit.
"Maybe they're not showing the results the fans expect right now, but individually they are strong. They play better at home and worse away. They have a good mix of experienced and young players. It's hard to predict which lineup the coach will choose because he rotates a lot and is probably looking for the best option. So far, their play has been quite unstable,"
Skerla assessed.
He had special words of praise for one Hajduk player, his compatriot Rokas Pukštas. He described him as one of the leaders and key players in the Split dressing room.
"He is one of the leaders and key players. He is very active, constantly looks for the ball, dribbles well, and stands out. He can play as a supporting midfielder or as an attacking midfielder, and he has now scored a goal,"
he added.
Although another Lithuanian club, Kauno Žalgiris, was recently heavily defeated 5-0 by Dinamo in the Champions League qualifiers, Skerla does not want his team to play with too much respect. He announced a brave approach in front of the home crowd.
"We see the level of Croatian football and how strong their players are. But we are playing at home. When necessary, we will defend, but with the ball in possession, we can create chances and score goals. As I said before the match against Dinamo Tbilisi, I want our opponents not to feel comfortable,"
concluded the Žalgiris coach.
The match in Vilnius will be played in front of a full stadium, and Skerla believes that the euphoria following the victory over Dinamo Tbilisi will give his players an extra boost.
