Today Dynamo Kyiv will play the match of the 4th round of the Europa League group stage with the French Rennes in Krakow. And the day before this fight, a pre-match press conference was held by the head coach of the opposing team from Kiev, Bruno Genesio.
- Based on the situation in the standings of our group, can we say that your goal is first place?
- In any competition where we take part, of course, the best result for us is the first place. We want to win as many matches as possible.
- Are you going to rotate in the match against Dynamo?
— Of course, there will be changes after the game with Nantes. We have a sufficient number of good, strong players, which allows us to make certain substitutions without losing quality.
— The Dynamo coach spoke about the difficult situation in Ukraine and the rocket bombing, as well as a large number of transfers and an hour-long break in the championship match due to air raids. What do you think about this?
“It’s very hard to imagine how they might feel. Living through moments like this is terrifying. War is the worst thing in the world. Fortunately, this did not affect us. You have to understand that there are things more important than football. Perhaps, for Dynamo, this will be an opportunity to take a little break from the war and "escape" from what is happening in their country.
- Voting for the Golden Ball will take place soon, in which Benzema will take part. You worked with him at Lyon, what do you think about this?
- Yes, I worked with him when he was 17 years old, and even at that age he already had the skills of a finisher. He also has the trait of being ahead of events on the football field, he could predict in advance what would happen. He has great ambitions, and he also does a huge amount of work. What impresses me most now is its stability. He started playing at Lyon at the age of 17, then spent 4 years at Real Madrid. From year to year, he demonstrates a high level. Considering all that he has done over the years, this will be a good reward for him.
- Can Christopher Wu replace Teat in the game against Dynamo to save him?
- Yes, this player is ready now, he doesn't play a lot, but he works a lot. I have a very professional team, we are close to the players. Those football players who play less, improve after training. He is still a young player, but with very good qualities: he is technically strong and can make excellent first passes, which is very important in our game. Maybe Wu will play in the upcoming meeting.
- Dynamo has a problem with goalkeepers. What match do you expect tomorrow in this regard, and what conclusions did you draw after the first match?
- For us, this is a very important match, which will be decisive in order to go further. In the first game, we saw the quality of our opponent. Even if they are preparing in very difficult conditions, Dynamo showed a very good organization of the game, I will also note the technical quality of the players, some of them are very interesting. We have known the image of Ukrainian football for a long time. We are waiting for a tough fight, similar to the first game, in which we pulled out a victory only in the last minutes. It will be a difficult match, however, as always.
How is Doku feeling?
— He continues rehabilitation and gradually returns to the group. At the beginning of the week, he will undergo a medical examination, then we will learn more about his condition and see the dynamics of recovery.