Riga FC coach ahead of decisive European play-off match: We must believe in our quality

On Thursday evening, Latvian football champions Riga FC will play the decisive leg of their European play-off tie against Faroese club KI Klaksvik at Skonto Stadium. The winner will secure a place in the group stage of the UEFA Conference League, a result that would bring both prestige and financial benefit to the Latvian side.

The two teams played to a goalless draw in the away leg a week earlier, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the home match — meaning any scoring result could decide the outcome.

Nominally weaker but resilient opponent

Although KI Klaksvik is considered nominally weaker than Riga FC, the Faroese club has proven to be a tough opponent, as shown by the result of the first leg. Ahead of the decisive match, Riga FC's coach stressed that the team must believe in its own quality to achieve the desired result.

The match at Skonto Stadium is seen as an important test for the Latvian champions this season, since success in European competitions remains one of the main goals Latvian clubs set for themselves each year.