L. Ribeiro: good matches are expected in Pristina

2026-07-14 15:00

FK "Kauno Žalgirio" football players arrived in the Kosovo capital Pristina on Monday, where the return match of the UEFA Champions League qualifying first round will take place against the champion of this country, "Drita," on Tuesday evening.

On the eve of the match, the players from Kaunas held a training session at the "Fadil Vokrri" stadium, and after it, Žalgiris player Leo Ribeiro shared his thoughts.

"We are prepared. These are very important matches for us. Good pitch, good weather, so we are expecting good games. We have to fight,” the Brazilian told Žalgiris.lt.

The attacking player acknowledged that in the first encounter in Kaunas, they managed to see the level of the opponent, but this did not diminish their belief in their own abilities.

"They are a good team, they are really strong and know how to play. As the coach mentioned, we are preparing and will try to find their weaknesses. I believe we have a decent chance to progress,” the player stated.

At the Darius and Girėnas Stadium, "Kauno Žalgiris" led after Amine Benchaibo's goal, then slightly conceded the initiative to their opponents and conceded a goal at the end of the match.

"When we scored, we took a step back. I think that’s normal, especially since they came to play as well. Now we have no choice – we have to play evenly for all 90 minutes. In this match, they won't wait for anything, they will want to win. This could work to our advantage, as they will attack more and we will be able to exploit their spaces,” L. Ribeiro spoke ahead of the upcoming match.

The match between "Kauno Žalgiris" and "Drita" in Kosovo will start at 21:00 Lithuanian time.