The head coach of the youth national team of Ukraine Ruslan Rotan spoke at a press conference on the eve of the match of the 1/2 finals of Euro-2023 (U-21) against Spain, which will take place on 5 July in Bucharest.
Ruslan Rotan. Photo by O. Vasylieva- What are the team's personnel problems?
- Kryskiv misses the game because of too many yellow cards. Viunnyk has the same problem with his hand - tomorrow we will check it, maybe he will take the field.
- How do you prepare your players to concentrate on the game?
- First of all, it's about recovery. Unfortunately, only two days have passed between matches. This is also very important, because yesterday we had a flight, moved to another city, a slightly different climate. In Cluj-Napoca it was a bit colder than in Bucharest. But there are no problems with motivation. The guys are motivated, they go step by step, the next one is the hardest. We understand the strength of the Spanish national team, it is a very powerful team. We met in the group, but there is another game ahead. Spain beat everyone at the youth level, won all the tournaments. We know this well and remember it, we are aware of the strength of this opponent.
- Spain has a very warm attitude towards Ukraine, maybe even sometimes the fans would like to see you win. What do you think about this?
- First of all, thank you very much for your support in this difficult situation. You are with us side by side, which is very nice. Believe me, the Ukrainian people are very grateful for this - everyone who helps our country supports us. Thank you!
- Have you spoken to Vanat about his suspension?
- We spoke to him after the match, he understands the whole issue. This moment gave him the opportunity to think carefully, because he is starting the tournament almost tomorrow. This is an important lesson for Vladislav. We have to support him, he will get his chance.
- In the quarter-final match against France, we had problems with the transition from defence to attack. Was it because the opponent was so well prepared, or is it a systemic problem that needs to be addressed?
- France is a team that presses very well and returns the ball powerfully. The French started the match, they blocked the middle, and it was hard for us to get through it. It is very important to play in space in such a tight formation. I'm very pleased that we adjusted after the goal, started playing in space, and we succeeded.
- You drew with Spain in the group stage, 2-2. What conclusions did you draw from that match?
- Yes, we conducted an analysis based on the first match with Spain. This is a structural team that always plays first. All national teams study it, know it, but despite this, almost all the mechanisms work for the Spaniards, which affects all opponents. The guys and I did a theoretical session before the first game, and now we took these points into account. On the field, everything is decided by individual skill, as well as mood and character. Everything then combines into a single result.
I think Spain have studied us well, just as we have studied them. Tomorrow there will be a game that will give one of the teams a chance to move on. Therefore, it will be a completely different match, everything will be on the football field. I'm sure both teams will give it their all to make the long-awaited step.
