Ahead of the return leg of the UEFA Conference League 2026/27 first qualifying round against Maltese side Marsaxlokk, Pyunik’s head coach Artak Oseyan and defender Mikhail Kovalenko held a pre-match press conference.

At the beginning of the press conference, Mikhail Kovalenko answered questions from journalists, noting that the team had enough time to recover and is fully prepared for tomorrow's clash.

"It is a great pleasure for me to have been playing for Pyunik for a long time. My main goal is to reach the main stage of European competitions with the team, as well as to become the champion and win the cup in the domestic league. In other words, I set only the highest goals for myself.

We secured a confident victory in the first game, but the opponent is capable of playing good football. They managed to create a few sharp chances near our goal and could have scored. Therefore, we must be very vigilant in every episode so that the opponent cannot exploit our mistakes.

During my career, I have mostly played as a left-back, although I can play both on the right and in the center. Overall, it makes no difference to me which position I play, the important thing is to play consistently. In any case, I prefer playing on the left flank more."

Our team's head coach, Artak Oseyan, mentioned that regardless of the result of the first match, a difficult game is expected tomorrow, and the team must enter the pitch with maximum concentration.

"We had a rather difficult flight, but the victory in the first game was very important. As you know, winning and positive emotions always help to recover even faster. In any case, the team is fully prepared for tomorrow's game both mentally and physically.

I can say one thing: we are very serious about tomorrow's match, and I have demanded the boys to enter the pitch with the highest level of concentration. So, we expect a very difficult game again. True, the result of the first match may seem deceptive, but that victory was achieved with great difficulty, and we must maintain the same concentration in tomorrow's game as well.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank our fans once again who supported us in Malta. My request and appeal to our fans is to support us, to give us strength and energy, because in reality, the most important figures in football, at least for me, are the fans who give meaning to this game. That is why I urge you to be present and cheer for us."