'We know where we are': Victor Loturi fighting to survive relegation at Ross County
Time is running out for Victor Loturi's club as they try to survive the drop.
Loturi, the talented 21-year-old Canadian midfielder, has had a season of trials and adversity with Scottish club Ross County, having joined the team out of the Canadian Premier League last year. Despite those early challenges, though, Loturi has quickly emerged as a key figure in the squad, making 20 appearance – including 14 starts – as he looks to help his team avoid relegation.
As the Scottish Premiership season draws to a close, Ross County has two games remaining to avoid relegation to the second division of the Scottish Premiership.
Loturi and his team will have to give their all to stay in the first division and avoid the drop.
Reflecting on his season so far, Loturi told Sky Sports Scotland: "We know where we are; we're in the relegation zone, and we're trying to get out. Everybody's training well, so it's just a matter of time before we start picking up points and getting out of this relegation zone."
He added, when asked about his own opportunity with the club: "I feel like I took (my chance) and I haven't looked back since. I think I've had a decent season... obviously team first, I just really hope we get out of this relegation zone, and I'm doing everything that I can to do that to help the team."
😬 Surviving a "tough" relegation battle
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) April 14, 2023
🔴 Not daunted by in-form Aberdeen
🇨🇦 @CanadaSoccerEN's 'golden generation'
🗣️ Making his family proud after sacrifice
Hear from @RossCounty's Victor Loturi ahead of tonight's game against Aberdeen - live on Sky Sports 📺 pic.twitter.com/HoifovVd8o
For those efforts, Loturi was called up for the Canadian Men's national team in March for their Concacaf Nations League matches against Curaçao and Honduras. Although he didn't see any minutes, being a part of the squad was a valuable experience, with Loturi getting a first-hand look at the nation's strong contingent of young, hungry and talented footballers.
"I think right now is the golden generation of the Canadian national team," Loturi offered. "And it's just starting up where you see players going to Europe all the time now, and most players on the team are in Europe, so just trying to crack that squad is the biggest thing for me."
Representing Canada is doubly important for Loturi when considering how his own upbringing played a big part in his successes so far. His family, who immigrated from South Sudan before he was born, helped formulate a strong mentality that he's carried into his career.
"I've seen what they go through, and it just makes me feel if I don't do everything right or properly, it makes me think about what they do and just letting them down," Loturi admitted.
That mentality is also seen in his brother William Akio, also a former CPL star who now plays at Ross County. The two motivate each other to work hard every day.
