Kauno Žalgiris, the current leader in the Lithuanian football championship, has no plans to lower its ambitions, with a primary goal of winning every possible title in Lithuania.
“We want not only to win, but similarly to play beautifully, to instill a non-Lithuanian football mentality. We don’t want to defend in a closed manner, we want to attack, to score goals,” stated the team’s president.
The club also aims to reach the group stage of a UEFA tournament for the first time in its history. This ambition reflects a growing competitive landscape in Lithuanian football and the increasing importance of club success on the European stage.
“We will go the same way that Žalgiris goes in the EuroLeague, match by match. We will try to give everything to win every game, and at the end of the day we will observe where we are in Europe,” the president explained.
Mantas Kalnietis, the club’s president, also addressed the rising football ambitions in Vilnius and the resurgence of Vilniaus Žalgiris. He acknowledged their growing fanbase and the importance of history and supporters for any sports organization.
“I follow everything that is happening in Lithuanian football. There will be that rivalry. I was born and raised with the understanding that Vilnius-Kaunas must be a rivalry,” Kalnietis said. “I watched their series, I saw that they have fans, and fans and history are one of the cornerstones of every sports organization. They are good people, but they will never be my friends, because I will always want us to win. We are a sports city, everything starts from the beginning and we will grow, compete and win,” he continued, to applause from supporters.
Currently, Kauno Žalgiris leads the Lithuanian football championship with six points ahead of Vilniaus Žalgiris. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated competition as both teams strive for domestic and European success.
