Samsunspor coach Thomas Reis wary of Ħamrun Spartans threat in UEFA Conference League

Samsunspor coach Thomas Reis is wary of the threat posed by Ħamrun Spartans, as his side prepares to host the Maltese champions this evening in a UEFA Conference League Matchday 3 encounter.

Speaking at a press conference held at the 19 Mayıs Stadium, Reis praised the visitors’ quality while urging his players to maintain their focus and mentality.

“We’re coming into this match after a nine-game unbeaten run, but Ħamrun are a strong team despite losing their last two matches and conceding only two goals,” Reis said.

“They’ve been through the Champions League qualifiers, then the Europa League, and now the Conference League — that shows their quality. They’re a dangerous opponent.”

Samsunspor’s impressive run includes notable victories over Legia Warsaw (1-0) and Dynamo Kyiv (3-0) in Europe. Domestically, they have drawn 0-0 with Fenerbahçe and beaten Konyaspor 3-1, sitting fourth in the Turkish Super Lig with 20 points, nine behind leaders Galatasaray.

“If we fail to bring our desired approach and mentality onto the pitch, we’ll definitely face problems,” Reis continued.

“Our goal is to perform at our best, as we always strive to do. The fact that some people view our success as unexpected makes it even more meaningful.”

The German coach acknowledged the difficulties of competing across multiple competitions with a limited squad.

“We have some injured players, and one of our forwards, Cherif Ndiaye, will not be available due to a late transfer. We’re operating with a small group, but we have full confidence in our players. They always give their all.”

Ndiaye, the Senegalese forward who joined Samsunspor from Red Star Belgrade, has been a key attacking figure, scoring three goals in five league appearances this season.

“During this busy period, we can’t rotate much,” Reis added.

“We make necessary substitutions and try to rest players when possible. Our nine-match unbeaten streak shows that we have a strong mentality as a team. We need to play with patience tomorrow to achieve a positive result. We had a very successful season last year, and we’re trying to do the same again this year.”

Finally, Reis called on the supporters to rally behind the team as they continue their demanding schedule.

“The players are tired – they’ve played a lot of matches in a short time and are maintaining a high performance level,” he said.

“But with the support of our fans, they’ll find the energy to fight and run even harder. This team truly deserves that support.”