Thorsten Fink: We are looking forward to the draw

In the second leg of the UEFA Conference League Round of 16 play-off, Samsunspor defeated North Macedonian side KF Shkendija 4-0 at home, securing their place in the Round of 16. Samsunspor manager Thorsten Fink evaluated the match at the post-game press conference.

Expressing his happiness with the victory, Fink said, "It was important to get the 3 points. We are also happy in terms of contributing to the country's coefficient. We are happy to have achieved this. As a coach, I am also happy with this win. We couldn't show our performance in the first half. We were a bit tense in the first half. That is why we couldn't show our performance."

"We unlocked the game after the first goal. We didn't give our opponent any opportunities. Not even small ones. I can say that we are currently looking forward to the draw. Playing with two strikers was risky. We wanted to win at home and in front of our fans. Winning 4-0 was better than 1-0. In total, we scored 5 goals," he said.

"I know that expectations in Turkey are very high"

Stating that they will fight to reach the quarter-finals in Europe, Fink said, "It is not easy to come to a team that has had a good year. There are players in the team who have not played in Europe, and there are players with different rhythms. The club has done the right things in the past. Maybe they didn't become champions, but as a result, we are in 7th place. I know that expectations in Turkey are very high. The club is doing very correct and good work. We also have some injured players.

Our expectation now is to go as far as we can in the Conference League. I am an experienced coach and I know how to deal with these situations. I am thinking of giving a chance to 1 or 2 of our young players in the league match we will play on Sunday. I am happy not only for myself but also for the team and the club.

I am currently on the sidelines. We will wait for the draw. It will be either Rayo Vallecano or Shakhtar Donetsk. Both opponents are strong. Maybe we won't be the favorites, but we can pull off a surprise. We will not just play to play the matches. We will play to reach the quarter-finals. Shakhtar has good players. Rayo Vallecano is a very good team at ball possession. I had played against them in a friendly match. Our goal is to pass the next round as well," he said.

News Source: 12punto