On Saturday, 9 September, the Ukrainian national team will play a Euro 2024 qualifying match against England. The match is nominally a home game for the Ukrainian national team, but due to the war will be held in Wroclaw, Poland. A day before the game, the head coach of the Ukrainian national team Serhiy Rebrov held a pre-match press conference at the Tarczynski Arena stadium, which will host this meeting.
Sergei Rebrov. Photo - A.Popov- Is Yarmolenko ready to play in tomorrow's match? If not, who will replace him?
- Andriy has not yet trained in the general group. Today we will see. Of course, he is not 100% ready. There is someone to replace him. There is competition for every position in the Ukraine national team, which I am very happy about.
- Why Ruslan Malinovskyi was not called up for this training camp?
- When we made the list of players for this training camp, Malinovskyi did not have a team at all. We called up those who were called up. Ruslan is a candidate for the national team, its full member. There is nothing terrible in his current absence. He now has game practice in his club and will definitely return to the national team.
- Do you count on the support of Ukrainian fans living in Wroclaw in tomorrow's match?
- Unfortunately, we are playing outside Ukraine for the second year. We are forced to play. But we have to play. I am sure tomorrow there will be support from the stands and Ukrainians living here. Including from Polish fans, who will come to the game. I am sure our players will feel this atmosphere
- What is the personnel situation in the team?
- Unfortunately, there are some injuries among the players. But we have called 26 players for this training camp, it is enough to cope with the current problems. The England national team also has personnel difficulties. I have always said that we should respect the opponent, but concentrate on our game and show our game despite the personnel problems.
- What will be the role of Zinchenko in tomorrow's match?
- Tomorrow we will see. I am sure he is ready to play. And on what position, tomorrow we will see. (Smiling). He has played both right and left defenceman. In what capacity he will play tomorrow, you can see for yourself.
- What minimum result on the sum of matches with England and Italy will suit you from the point of view of the fight in the group?
- Such things are probably more in the journalists' sphere. But I prepare the team for each individual game. So now I am concentrated on the match with England. I do not count points. We should not count points, but concentrate on tomorrow's game and show maximum in it. And then we'll see what happens.
- What are the weaknesses of the England national team?
- It is very difficult to find them. Yes, our opponent needs no introduction, but we must be focused on our game, understand how to play against this opponent, how we should oppose him. I think, after the work done at this training camp, we understand all this.
But this is football, you never know what will happen on the pitch. It is important to focus on our game. Our opponents are a very strong team. If it has personnel problems, we must always remember that the England national team has 2-3 squads. We are preparing for tomorrow's match very seriously. We must show our game.
- Is it a special challenge for you to lead the Ukraine national team in the conditions of the ongoing war?
- I am very happy to be the head coach of the Ukraine national team. It is a very big responsibility for me. But I am glad that I joined the national team at such a time. And not only me, but every player of the national team of Ukraine understands why we are here - there are guys and girls who fight for the independence of Ukraine. In this situation it is easier for me - I don`t need to motivate the guys, they all understand what they are playing for, they see their goal and go to it.
Apart from Serhiy Rebrov, Ukraine midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko also took part in the press conference. Report on his communication with journalists >>>.
Oleksandr POPOV from Wroclaw
