Dnipro-1's head coach Oleksandr Kucher commented on the results of the European Cup draw, which chose Panathinaikos of Greece as the team's opponent in the second round of the Champions League qualifiers.
Oleksandr Kucher (photo: scdnipro1.com.ua)- We understood what kind of teams we could face at this stage - these are, of course, difficult opponents. Of course, we will be preparing hard for this confrontation. "Panathinaikos will probably be the favourite, because they have a stronger league, and most importantly, their fans will be the 12th player to passionately support their team. Of course, these matches will be difficult for us, but we still always have a chance in every match. We will approach the first match with maximum concentration.
- Is there anything in common between Dnipro-1 and Panathinaikos that both teams were contending for the championship until the last game, but ended up finishing second?
- I don't see any point in looking for any parallels here. There is Dnipro-1, there is Panathinaikos, and everything between us will be decided on the football field.
- Does the fact that the opponent has Bernard and Verbić, who are well known to Ukrainian fans, add zest to the confrontation?
- These are really familiar players for us - we have played with or against some of them. But the opponent has a lot of skilled players, so we will analyse them all and prepare. Now they have started their training camp, so, of course, we will follow them. It will be a very important match for us.
- Based on your experience as a player, what are the main features of Greek football?
- Usually, there are teams that play attacking football, plus there are legionnaires who like to run forward, and the fans will drive them forward. This can be used to our advantage.
