Ludogorets head coach Per-Mathias Hogmo gave a press conference ahead of his European debut with the team in the match against Celta.
“It’s great to be here at the stadium for the first time and to be part of this club. This is my fifth day here, and I’ve met fantastic players and staff. It will be a clash of different styles; Ludogorets has good players with diverse football backgrounds. We are working to develop the team and improve its condition. We are facing a very good opponent. In some ways, they are a typical Spanish team – in terms of player quality and rotation. They work individually in one-on-one situations and in attack. We can always talk about structure, but in international football, one-on-one duels are becoming increasingly important. We need to stay focused during the match. I can’t wait to go into this match with the players. It’s good to play against a strong opponent with such qualities; it will prepare us well for what lies ahead,” Hogmo began.
“You have to use every day to improve – individually and as a team. Injured players need to return to the pitch, and everyone must be in their best condition. The league is extremely important for us. We want to focus on every single match. When we play in Europe, we want to show our best qualities,” he continued.
“When you win for so many consecutive years, it's important not to fall into a comfort zone. What I see here explains why the club has been so successful – from the owners, through the directors, to the staff and players – everyone wants to improve. But the most important thing in football is to have the best training culture. Every day we must come to work and make a difference. Together, we will rise,” the Norwegian added.
“The players are professionals. I have seen how well we spent these last few days together. We had a teambuilding session with different groups, challenging everyone – what we can do in the short and long term. It is always inspiring to play in Europe; many players and teams want to be at this level. I expect the players to give their best – both in Europe and in the league,” he said.
Hogmo also responded to a question about whether he knows the Celta player with a Norwegian passport – Jornes El Abeid: “I don’t know him, but there are Swedish players I know (editor’s note: Carl Starfelt and Williot Swedberg). For me, it is a pleasure to be in Razgrad, in this beautiful city with its beautiful nature. For someone who grew up in Northern Norway, this is perfect. It is motivating to come to this club. I look forward to every day I will spend working here,” he concluded.
Ludogorets’ Spanish defender Son also spoke before the match with Celta, revealing that his uncle once played for the Galician side. “It’s always special to face a Spanish team. I’ve been lucky to play here against Betis, Bilbao, and now Celta. This match is very important to me; my uncle played for Celta in the first division. He is no longer with us, but he would have been very proud,” Son said. “I can’t say what the difference is, but both teams show good football. Celta is in very good form, they have a very young team. They are hungry for success. It will be an interesting and competitive match,” he added.
“The first impression the new coach left on us was to be calm and confident in what we do. To believe in ourselves and play the way we know. He explained how he wants to see the team tactically. This was visible in our last league match — we played better. We want to continue in this direction. We know the qualities Celta has. I had the pleasure of playing several years against this team. Everyone knows who Iago Aspas is — a very experienced player with tremendous qualities. If we give him space, he can score,” the Spaniard concluded.
