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Couceiro makes history at Kaunas

Lithuanians knock Rangers out of Champions League

Portuguese boss Jose Couceiro has spoken of the delight amongst the FBK Kaunas squad after the Lithuanian champions sensationally eliminated Rangers in the Champions League qualifiers on Tuesday night.

The possibility of a shock result received a major boost last week when Kaunas earned a 0-0 draw from the first leg in Glasgow, but the Scottish side remained strong favourites to progress to the third qualifying round of the European Cup ahead of the return leg in Kaunas.

However, the hosts, playing at their 8,500-capacity S. Dariaus ir S. Gireno stadium, came from behind to win 2-1 on the night and secure possibly the biggest result in the club’s history. Having fallen behind in the 33rd minute, Kaunas drew level two minutes short of half time, before scoring an 87th minute winner through Linas Pilibaitis.

Euphoria

“Everyone is euphoric, it is a unique moment, to understand that this is the first time in the club’s history that we’ve managed to get to the third qualifying round of the Champions League,” Couceiro told Maisfutebol after the match. “Last season Kaunas was eliminated by FK Zeta, which is a team theoretically much easier than Rangers.

“The team always believed it was possible in their home park. But Rangers were still the favourites before this match. They are a very strong team and Kaunas is a small club. Our championship is not a very strong championship. It’s very different from Scotland.

“I must congratulate my players because they have worked fantastically for the last few weeks. The team is growing and it has evolved in the positive way I expected. I have been studying the team since June, despite only having been in charge for three weeks, so I already know the players very well, which helps.”

Danish challenge

Kaunas will almost certainly meet Aalborg BK in the next round, with the Danish champions leading Bosnia’s FK Modrica 5-0 on aggregate heading into the second leg in Modrica on Wednesday, and Couceiro says he will find out everything he can about his side’s next opponents in the coming days.

“We need to take it stage by stage, little at a time. Now I’ll go to Denmark to find out more about Aalborg, how they play and what we can expect. Aalborg play on Sunday in the Danish championship, so we can get to know them a bit better, but it is certainly not going to be easy. Obviously, we have the potential to win, however I am aware that we are not at the level of many other teams.”

Finally, Couceiro admits that having achieved domestic dominance (Kaunas have won four of the last five Lithuanian titles) the club have now turned their attention to progress in Europe as their main aspiration over the coming years.

“We are talking about a team who have already won the Lithuanian championship many times,” he said. “Undoubtedly, to get as far as possible in the Champions League is the main target. As well as giving our best in the championship, we are going to give everything in the games to qualify for the Champions League.”