Jozsef Szabo on the Italy vs Ukraine match: "I was sitting in shock... I was swearing!"

Former Dynamo and Ukraine coach Jozsef Szabo shared his opinion on the Euro 2024 qualifying match between Italy and Ukraine.

"Playing on the third day is physically difficult. I don't know what UEFA is thinking!"

- Jožef Jožefović, how did you like the match?

- Only the Italians played for the first 30 minutes, our team was not visible on the pitch at all. Our players were simply burnt out. Italy was smarter, stronger and much more skilful. They completely outplayed us. They were constantly moving, playing with one touch, and our guys just couldn't keep up.

After 30 minutes, the Italians stopped and let Ukraine play. During these 15 minutes, our team scored a goal and had more chances to score. But the opponent was to blame for stopping.

In the second half, Italy played well again, as long as they had enough energy. "The Scudra Azzurra are stronger and deservedly won.

- What can you say about the missed goals?

- How many mistakes can you make? The Italians had a lot of chances, but not all of them were realised, but our players helped them by making unnecessary mistakes. Just look at Sudakov's fall! And in the second half, we had to concede the third goal because of Bushchan's cutback. I don't like the fact that the guys make too many mistakes.

- Why do you think Ukraine played nervously compared to the match against England?

- Playing on the third day is physically difficult. That is why Rebrov and Spalletti changed almost half the team in the second half. I don't know what UEFA is thinking! Make the matches at least on the fourth day, on the third day is too much! The body does not have time to recover. But if Italy has 20-25 equivalent players, we have no such choice.

- What do you think of Dovbyk's start instead of Yaremchuk's?

- This is the right decision. It seems to me that in the second half Rebrov changed Dovbyk for Yaremchuk in vain. Artem is good with long passes, he is floating and it is difficult to get close to him.

I think Dovbyk is better than Yaremchuk and Vanat because he can block with his body and cling to the ball.

- How would you rate the performance of Yarmolenko, who replaced Mudryk in the start?

- Not very well. Andriy hadn't played for a long time, he was undergoing treatment. Yes, he scored a goal, the ball accidentally got to him from the defender, but our attack was very good. Still, Yarmolenko is not ready yet.

- Yarmolenko is two goals away from scoring Shevchenko's record in the national team. Do you think he will beat our legend's achievement?

- I think so, he will still be playing. Perhaps next year he will succeed and become the new record holder of our team.

"Only one thing will save Mudryk - a loan or sale to another championship"

- In the second half, Mudryk came on instead of Yarmolenko. What do you think of the Chelsea winger's performance?

- I don't want to criticise anyone, but I don't know what will happen to Mudryk. He was remembered for only one pass to Konoplya, when he scored with his head. It seems to me that if he had scored, the referee would have whistled a foul. Spanish referees judge one way. There was a moment when the Italians took down our player, and the referee did not blow the whistle.

- A lot is expected of Mudryk, but so far he hasn't been able to show the top level. Why?

- He was not taught how to play properly. He has nothing but speed. Mudryk cannot play without space. He needs to take an example from Harry Kane. The Englishman couldn't prove himself against Ukraine either, but he stepped back and made a great pass to Walker.

Mudryk doesn't know how to do this, we need to work with him a lot. He runs, but he can't pass, he has no technique. First, you need to roll the defender, and only then turn on the speed. And Mudryk only runs along the line and loses the ball.

It seems to me that he will not play in England. Only one thing will save him - a loan or sale to another championship. The Premier League does not give him the space he needs.

- Who, in your opinion, should start: Yarmolenko or Mudryk?

- Mudryk definitely shouldn't, he's a reserve player. I don't expect anything from him! Yarmolenko is not enough for the whole match, he needs to be replaced immediately after the first half or substituted. Perhaps Rebrov should take a closer look at Zubkov, he plays well for Shakhtar.

"Zinchenko is completely different at Arsenal, but he plays poorly in the national team"

- Why were our leaders, like Zinchenko, invisible in this match?

-Zinchenko is necessary for our team because he can launch attacks, but yesterday he was no good, just like Tsygankov! Although for the first 30 minutes, everyone was useless. I sat in shock and thought: what happened to our players? I was swearing at them!

Zinchenko is completely different at Arsenal, and he plays poorly in the national team. In the London club, the game goes through him, he is technical, he sees the field well. And in the national team, Oleksandr is not the same. He doesn't take part in the selection process because he doesn't know how, and he doesn't hold the ball. In the national team, Zinchenko has weaker partners than in Arsenal: they are not technical, without skill, and cannot receive the ball properly.

- Do you think Rebrov was right with his tactics and starting line-up for the game?

- No, everything was right. Against Italy, you can't play open football, but I repeat - our team just burned out. When you lose the ball, you need to go back to your own half and press, but we didn't take it away. The Ukrainians let the Italians receive the ball freely.

"I think we will not pass Italy in the standings"

- To whom from our team will you present the Lion of the Match award?

- I can't single anyone out because we defended more. I can only single out Zabarnyi and Konoplya, they tried hard. Yukhym handles the ball well, constantly flies forward at speed, has time to get back and is good in the build-up.

Zabarnyi has good insurance, he constantly fights for high balls, does not give in. Stepanenko is not noticeable, but he does a great job of clearing balls. He ploughs between the two centre-backs, helping out on the left and right. He's a valuable player, but he's getting on in age, and there's no replacement for him - Sydorchuk is not up to the task and is also of a certain age.

- Who disappointed you in yesterday's match?

- Bushchan. He made a terrible mistake in the second half - he knocked the ball out and gave it to the opponent, and Italy only miraculously did not score a goal. Such mistakes are unacceptable at this level.

- The Ukrainian national team dropped to third place in the table. We, the Italians and the Macedonians have seven points each, but the Azzurri have a match in hand. What is your forecast for the tournament prospects, will Ukraine be able to reach Euro 2024 from second place?

- I think we will not get past Italy. This is a football country and Spalletti has two equivalent squads. Rebrov does not have such players, our players make childish mistakes. It will be very difficult for us.

Andrii Piskun