FK Zalgiris supporters staged a dramatic protest against head coach Vladimir Cheburin during a recent league match, expressing their frustration over the club’s poor performance.
During the A Lyga clash on August 4 a Kaunas derby against rivals Kauno Zalgiris fans threw suitcases onto the pitch, a clear message urging the coach to "pack up and leave." The act momentarily disrupted play, as players had to remove the luggage from the field before continuing the match. Cheburin responded with composure, even applauding the gesture from the sidelines.
FK Zalgiris Fans Demand Change
FK Zalgiris supporters were vocal about their frustration due to team's poor performance on the field. The club currently sits seventh in the A Lyga standings, a full 18 points behind their city rivals, Kauno Zalgiris.
The discontent was further fuelled by the team’s recent elimination from the UEFA Conference League. Zalgiris failed to progress beyond the qualifying play-off quarter-finals, losing 2-0 on aggregate to Linfield FC from Northern Ireland.
FK Zalgiris a club built by fans
Founded in 1947, FK Zalgiris (formerly Dynamo Vilnius and later Spartakas) has a rich history in Lithuanian football. The club adopted its current name in 1962 and was once the representative team of Lithuania during Soviet times, achieving a notable third-place finish in the 1987 Soviet Top League.
Following Lithuania's return to independence in 1990, Zalgiris became a privately operated club and established itself as one of the country’s most successful teams in terms of domestic trophies.
However, in 2008, the club collapsed due to financial difficulties but it was the supporters who decided to take matters into their own hands and revived the team by founding the Vilnius City Football Association Zalgiris on February 26, 2009. The club reclaimed its historical name in November 2014.
