Trabzonspor manager Thomas Reis spoke at the press conference held ahead of the match against KuPS in the first week of the UEFA Conference League. Reis stated that the pitch in the away match could create an advantage for the home team, but their goal is to make a good start to the tournament.
Pointing out the strengths of the opponent, Reis said, "Our opponent is also a very good team. Given the condition of the pitch, it seems like an advantage for the home team, but our goal is to make a good start."
ARTIFICIAL TURF AND SQUAD MESSAGE
Reis also made evaluations regarding the match being played on artificial turf. Stating that even big teams sometimes struggle on this surface, the manager said, "There can be big problems on artificial turf. Bayern Munich had a lot of trouble yesterday. Bayern Munich also struggled with the pitch."
Emphasizing that the team is entering a busy schedule, Reis said, "We are entering a difficult period; we will play a match every 3 days. We have a very good squad that can handle this. We will be on the field with our best squad tomorrow." Stating that their first goal in the Conference League is to pass the league stage, Reis said they want to get the best results from the 6 matches ahead of them.
Regarding the question of whether Salah will play in the match, Reis stated that the decision will be made on match day. The German manager replied, "For me, tomorrow's match will be played under special conditions, on artificial turf. Every player in our squad is ready to play under these conditions. We will decide on Salah's status and the starting 11 tomorrow."
Reis expressed that the red card seen in the Samsun match was their own fault, while also stating that he was satisfied with his team's effort. Stating that two players are missing but are with the squad, Reis conveyed that it will become clear on match day whether these names will play.
Speaking about the game plan, Reis touched on the importance of standing firm in defense. Saying that Trabzonspor is a team with high goal-scoring potential, Reis said, "After defending well, it is easier for us to score goals."
Opening a separate parenthesis for Onana's role in building play, Reis stated that a goalkeeper who is good with the ball provides an extra option for the team. Saying, "We must take risks, but we must not take unnecessary risks. Football cannot be played without taking risks," Reis said he expects the KuPS match to be an interesting and good contest.
News Source: 12punto
