On Monday, 20 November, the Ukrainian national team will play its final match of the Euro 2024 qualifying cycle - against Italy. The match is nominally a home game for the Ukrainian national team, but due to the war will be held in Leverkusen, Germany. A day before the game, a pre-match press conference of the head coach of the Ukrainian national team Serhiy Rebrov was held at the BayArena stadium, which will host this meeting.
- Both teams need a win in tomorrow's match. How well all the mistakes of the first match against Italy have been worked out?
- Tomorrow it is not both teams that need a win. We have analysed our first match with Italy, we have analysed Italy's match with North Macedonia. We got a lot of information, we gave it to the players. I am sure they are ready for this match. And I am sure that there will be a different game compared to what we had in our first match with Italy. I am sure that tomorrow there will be a full stadium to support us - it is also very important. Tomorrow we need only victory. We will build our game on this basis.
Of course, it is one thing to play against Malta and North Macedonia, with all due respect to these teams, but it is quite another to play against England or Italy. Of course, it is not only a responsibility, but an opportunity to show ourselves. I think we played well at home against England. But away against Italy, in my opinion, we made a lot of mistakes. So tomorrow we have to be more concentrated and responsible.
- How can the game be affected by the fact that a draw will be enough for Italy?
- I'm sure it won't. The Italian team will not play for a draw - this is not the team that will "close" and play for a draw. Not that coach.
- How do you plan to build the game against such a serious opponent?
- We have considered many tactical schemes for our side. The Italian national team has a lot of quality players who play both offensively and defensively. This is a very intense team. And the fact that it played a match two days ago will not matter: the Italian national team has a lot of squads. So we must be ready for a very intense game. And how we will build our game, we will tell the guys tomorrow.
- Are you satisfied with the control match with Lechia? And why this game was held in closed mode?
- It is clear why: we played not with the national team, but with the club, it was part of our direct preparation for the match with Italy. This sparring was planned from the beginning. We did not agree to play on the 17th, and the game itself was in our plan. I think it was a useful game before the match with Italy. It is important that none of our guys was injured in this sparring, all our players will take part in today's training.
- Are there any changes within your team in connection with the recent successes of our foreigners in their clubs?
- I have not been working with the Ukraine national team for a long time, but at every training camp I see a great atmosphere inside the team, I like it very much. And it is always like this, regardless of how our foreigners play in their clubs. When playing for the national team, you have a completely different responsibility to the country, to people. So I don't know how the atmosphere has changed against the background of the guys' recent successes. But these successes, I am sure, will give them confidence.
- How do you assess the chances of the Ukrainian national team to qualify for Euro 2024?
- I think we have good chances. Again, tomorrow's game will be different from the one with Italy at San Siro, because this time the whole stadium will support us. Of course, it affects the psychology and motivation of the players. So I believe that we have a good chance. And I always tell the players that you should not be afraid of losing - you should be afraid of not doing enough to win. So we must show our strength and demonstrate our best game.
- What will it mean for people in Ukraine if the national team qualifies for Euro 2024?
- We always play for our people who need support now. In this year and a half of war, Ukrainians lack the emotions that sport and football in particular can give. Many people will support us tomorrow, and we will feel it. We play for them, for our army, for those who defend our freedom. Of course, my charges understand why and for whom we play. I don't think they need extra motivation. You can see for yourself what motivation the players have when they go on the pitch with the flag of Ukraine.
- UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said that the Italian national team should play at Euro 2024. How did you react to this?
- I think people in Ukraine should react to it, and we should concentrate on our game. All the guys should be ready for the upcoming game mentally, forget about everything, about all the statements in the press. I am sure that none of these statements will affect our players - they will be even angrier. All the guys realise that tomorrow's result can be achieved only by ourselves, only by our own efforts.
- Who from the Italian national team would you like to take in your team for tomorrow's match?
- I have a lot of respect for the Italian national team, it is a very strong team, but I think we have a very good team, we do not need players from other national teams. We understand the strength of our rival, they have the best players from all over the world, I repeat, we respect the Italian national team, but I am very happy to work with the guys who are now in the camp of the national team.
- Have you talked to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky about tomorrow's match?
- No. I think he has more important things to do now. (Smiling). But he always supports us, wishes us good luck, is very interested in football. Of course, he has more important things to do, we understand that. But we play not for Zelensky, but for our people, for those who support us. And that's why we are all ready for tomorrow's match.
Alexander POPOV from Leverkusen
