SPORTSWORLD.AM
The 2024/25 season was historic for Noah: the club became the champion of Armenia for the first time. The match against Buducnost will be the team's debut in the Champions League.
In addition to the title, Noah also won the Armenian Cup - we can say that this team is dominant. Last season, the team managed to surprise in European competitions: Noah knocked out AEK, and also earned four points in the league stage of the Conference League.
"The goals are the highest in Noa, but we have to move step by step. At the moment we are only focused on the first match against Buducnost. The Champions League is the best tournament in world football. We have to prepare very well for tomorrow's match, and I am sure we are ready," said head coach Sandro Perkovic. The match against Buducnost will be his debut at the helm of Noa.
"My experience shows that the first game is always the most difficult. We cannot know what to expect from ourselves and our opponent, but I am sure that tomorrow we will make every effort to achieve victory in the first round," said home goalkeeper Ognjen Cancharevich during a press conference yesterday.
"Future"
Buducnost has participated in the qualifying rounds of European Cup tournaments many times. This will be its 7th attempt in the Champions League. It is noteworthy that in none of the previous 6 cases did Buducnost manage to overcome at least one round. The team's greatest success has been in the Europa League, where it reached the 3rd qualifying round twice.
As in the case of “Noah”, “Budučnost” also changed the head coach. The match against the Armenian team will be the debut for the new coach. The team is coached by 47-year-old Nenad Lalatović, who is well-known to Ukrainian football fans. From 2003 to 2005, he played for “Shakhtar” Donetsk. Moreover, Lalatović has been leading “Budučnost” for only two weeks. Montenegrin media compared this gesture to a “hot potato” that the coach took in his hand.
The team played three friendly matches in the summer: the blue-and-whites lost 0:3 to North Macedonia's Vardar, won against Slovenian Mura, and then suffered another 0:3 defeat to Croatian club Slaven Belupo.
"Noah's budget itself speaks for their quality. But it's not about money, it's about the players. Their salary might be 50 thousand per month, and ours is five or six... But let's see on the pitch whose quality is higher. Of course, we have a very difficult game ahead of us, but considering that this is the first official game of the season for both teams, I don't think that either we or they know what shape we are in. I don't believe that they are in the best shape. I am happy with the atmosphere in the team, there are no injuries, everyone is looking forward to the game," Lalatovic noted.
The former coach of Crvena Zvezda, Vojvodina and many other clubs regrets not having had more time to work with the team. "Noah has more quality on paper, but I believe in what we have done. I regret that I only had seven training sessions, because it would have been much easier for me if I had arrived 20 days earlier. But I am very satisfied. The players accepted my requests and are putting their last efforts into achieving a favorable result. I expect a good game from us," Lalatovic added.
Let us remind you that the match will start at 20:00 Yerevan time.
We present to you the players announced for the match.
