Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Artem Bondarenko spoke about the training camp of the Ukrainian youth national team ahead of Euro 2023 and the tasks for the European Championship.
Artem Bondarenko (photo: uaf.ua)- Artem, the Ukrainian Championship has just ended. There is almost no time to rest, and you are already starting to prepare for the European Youth Championship. How much strength will you have to hold the European forum at a high level?
- The season was really tough for us. Shakhtar players had a few days to recover. Now it's time for a small training camp. Believe me, we understand the task we have at the European Championships. We are representing Ukraine at the Euros and we are simply obliged to perform well at the continental forum.
- What is the task for the players of the Ukrainian national team at Euro 2023?
- We will not talk about it now. But there is a task.
- Have you had time to watch your rivals play in the group?
- Not yet. We were busy with club business.
- Will you have enough time to know how Spain, Romania and Croatia play?
- Of course.
- What is the atmosphere in the national team?
- We always have a friendly atmosphere. Only a part of the players gathered in Kyiv.
- Do you think that the likely addition of players from the Ukrainian national team (Trubin, Zabarnyi, Mudryk and Sudakov) to the youth team will enhance the potential of the youth team?
- Of course, we will still miss these players. If they give us these guys, we will be happy, but if they don't... Well, that's how it will be.
- Artem, what are your associations with Romania, where our youth team will play at the European Championships?
- I associate Romania with Mircea Lucescu.
