Oleksiy Sych, midfielder of the youth national team of Ukraine and Lviv's Rukh, talks about today's Euro 2023 U-21 quarter-final against France.
About the "youth" France:
- I think that the French national team has not changed radically since qualifying. It has always been a good team with strong individual players. At the same time, our national team has changed. In my opinion, we have become stronger - we are no longer the same team we were then.
When I played against Amin Guiri for the first time, he was the strongest player I had ever played against. It will be interesting to see how he plays now that I've grown up. So we'll see.
Ruslan Petrovich was right when he said that we are no worse. We need to believe in it, mentally prepare ourselves for it. We will succeed.
About playing deeper in defence or connecting to attacks more often:
- You have to look at it during the game. When we play for the result, we are definitely behind. When we need to turn the tide of the game, attack more, it's the other way round. But I really like being involved as a defender.
On France's personnel losses:
- In my opinion, yes, these players are important for the French national team. Enzo Le Fe came on in the same match (against Switzerland - ed.). He joined the game very well. I think there is someone to replace them.