I think that Dynamo goalkeeper Heorhiy Bushchan has a very good chance of becoming the main goalkeeper of the Ukrainian national team in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against England and Italy. Bushchan looks like the best candidate for this role.
Heorhii Bushchan. Photo by Yurii YurievIn the spring and summer of 2023, Anatolii Trubin was the main goalkeeper of the national team. He had almost no rest, because immediately after the national team he went to the youth team, where he reached the Euro semi-finals. Then the saga of changing clubs began. The transfer to Inter did not take place despite all the talk. Trubin became the goalkeeper of Benfica. He hasn't played a single match for the new team yet, because he is not in any kind of playing or physical shape. Anatolii did not prepare for the season. He hasn't had any official matches for two months. Despite the transfer of Odysseos Vlahodimos to the Premier League, Trubin's backup, Samuel Soares, is playing in goal for Benfica. At the moment, Trubin is not ready to play.
Thibaut Courtois' injury gave Andriy Lunin some chances. He played two opening La Liga matches against Athletic and Almeria. He played quite confidently and successfully. But Carlo Ancelotti is not betting on Lunin. After Courtois' injury, Real Madrid loaned Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga, who played the last two matches. It looks like Real Madrid will have a first and a backup goalkeeper. Lunin's status will not change in any way.
What's the point of betting on Lunin now if his psychological state is hardly good? There is no prospect that he will play steadily for the club by the matches in October or November. Bushchan and Trubin have a complete advantage here.
Lunin's only trump card is Rustam Khudzhamov, who works as a goalkeeping coach for the national team. Lunin is one of the faces of the goalkeeping glove brand produced by Khudzhamov. They have a good personal relationship.
In contrast, Bushchan has now gained good playing form and regained the conditioning he had before his injury. Dynamo's defence is not impressive, so the goalkeeper has a lot of work to do. No wonder Zhora became one of Kyiv's heroes in the matches against Besiktas and Aris. He really helps the team out.
Let's not forget that Bushchan has experience as the main goalkeeper in the Ukrainian national team. He played this role in the qualification for Euro 2020 and in the final part of this tournament. Psychologically, it will not be a problem to take on such eminent opponents as Italy and England. The Dynamo goalkeeper already has a huge amount of experience.
Serhii Tyshchenko
