At the press conference before the match against Luzern, FCZ coach Ricardo Moniz talks about the opponent, the league and the disgraced FCZ talent Labinot Bajrami.
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- On Sunday, FC Zurich will host FC Luzern in a top-of-the-table clash.
- FCZ coach Ricardo Moniz expects a difficult "six-point game" against a "fantastic opponent".
- At the press conference, he also answers a question about Labinot Bajrami, who was transferred to the U21 team after an umbrella-throwing scandal. There is no way back, Moniz made clear.
Before the clash against FC Luzern, FCZ coach Ricardo Moniz says at the very beginning of the press conference: "My voice is getting worse and worse, I've been shouting too much." He probably gave his players a good warm-up before the top match.
"A six-point game against a fantastic opponent," he said. "The system, the hunger, modesty, they march, they have specific qualities, the diamond is difficult to overplay. They have a goal threat," said Moniz, summarizing the opponent's strengths. And adds: "They are a very good opponent with a fantastic philosophy, because they also give many Swiss talents a chance. Switzerland can be proud of such traditional clubs."
Elsewhere, Moniz says: "Even if you talk to people from abroad, they underestimate the level here. They really do! It's a very good league." However, the goals remain ambitious: "Winning the championship remains our big ambition. That's not meant arrogantly."
Bajrami no longer has a future at FCZ
There are also young players at FCZ, such as Labinot Bajrami. But the 19-year-old has fallen out of favor. In the cup match against second division side Zug 94, Bajrami reacted to instructions from coach Ricardo Moniz with vulgar language. Because the FCZ jewel was taken off the pitch again just 18 minutes after being substituted, Bajrami's father reacted by throwing an umbrella in Moniz's direction.
FCZ deemed this to be attempted assault and subsequently announced that Bajrami would be temporarily transferred to the Zurich U21 team. He was also fined internally. His father was also banned from stadiums throughout Switzerland for several years. He is banned from the FCZ training center at the Heerenschürli sports complex.
A journalist now wants to know whether Bajrami will stay with the U21 team forever or what the current situation is. Moniz doesn't seem to have much desire to talk about the personnel issue: "At the moment, he's in the U21s and there's no way back, as you know." The day it happened, he said, he spoke from his heart and said it all. "The way back is no longer there. And that's the way it stays." Bajrami has great potential and he hopes "that he will make something out of this situation for his future".
But that doesn't lie with FCZ? Even before the journalist has said the whole question, Moniz is already shaking his head with a grim expression and says flatly: "No! No!"
You can watch the match between FCZ and Lucerne live on blue Sport on Sunday.