SPORTSWORLD.AM
In the 2024/25 Fastex Premier League season, Ararat-Armenia took second place in the standings with 66 points and will start the fight in the Conference League (CL) from the second qualifying round. The team's head coach Vardan Minasyan announced after the victorious match against Ararat held within the framework of the domestic championship yesterday that he will not extend his employment contract, noting that he may have a lack of motivation in six months or a year.
He began his coaching career at Pyunik as an assistant coach. He was also an assistant to former Armenian national football team coach Ian Porterfield. In January 2008, when Ian Poulsen became the coach of the Armenian national team, Vardan Minasyan remained as an assistant coach. Then, in March 2009, when Poulsen left the Armenian national team, Vardan Minasyan became the coach of the Armenian national team. In 2008, Vardan Minasyan became the coach of Pyunik.
In February 2021, Vardan Minasyan was appointed head coach of the Taraz club, representing the Kazakh Premier League.
In June 2023, he returned to Ararat-Armenia, where he held the position of head coach until May 28, 2025. Under the leadership of the 51-year-old specialist, the current champion of Armenia became a two-time champion, two-time Super Cup winner, and cup winner.
They won the Hakob Tonoyan Super Cup for the second time, defeating Yeghishe Melikyan's Pyunik. Reaching the final of the Armenian Cup, they lost to the reigning champion, Noah.
The most memorable under Minasyan's leadership was the 2019 Euro Cup summer, where Ararat-Armenia reached the Europa League qualifying play-off round, which was the first in the history of Armenian club football. The team finished the 2023/24 season by taking third place in the standings with 75 points. In the second round of the CL qualifying round, they faced Moldovan Zibru FC and won 6:1 on aggregate. The first match took place at home (3:0, 3:1). In the third round of qualifying, they faced Puskas Academy, which they unfortunately failed to overcome. The first match in Yerevan ended 0:1, and at home 3:3 (3:4). In case of victory, Ararat-Armenia could meet Fiorentina in the play-off round.
According to the Armenian specialist, the Armenian domestic championship for the club begins in the spring and this is evident in every match with the participation of “Ararat-Armenia”. He also emphasizes team awards over individual ones.
In the 30 games played in the 2024/25 season, Ararat-Armenia celebrated 21 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses, scoring 75 goals and conceding 28 goals.