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, Italian head coach Luciano Spalletti held a pre-match press conference at the BayArena stadium, which will host the game.
Luciano Spalletti. Photo - A.Popov- What kind of game do you expect from the Ukraine national team tomorrow?
- We and the Ukraine national team have travelled the same way in the qualifying campaign - the points in the standings of our group confirm it. So there is no favourite in tomorrow's match.
I think that Serhiy Rebrov has prepared very well for tomorrow's match. I think he will profess more attacking football. Judging by the last matches of the Ukraine national team, he is a coach who likes open football. You can see that he has good qualities as a specialist.
- And what will be the game tomorrow in the performance of the Italian national team?
- We know what we are used to, we have a style, and we will transfer it to tomorrow's match. We know very well what we have to do in football. But we need to be very careful: we know that the Ukraine national team is a strong team, and we must be ready for quick changes of actions on the pitch. We also have to be ready for quick rearrangements and custody - it is important not to lose in these components, there should be no mistakes from our side. We need to repeat what we showed in the match against North Macedonia. Of course, the Ukraine national team will storm our gates tomorrow, but we will decide when to play "high" and when to play "low", and when to give the opponent the game first.
We started this qualifying cycle with difficulties. But we came out of it with honour. Of course, tomorrow we can lose. This game will show what kind of dough we are made of.
- Who from the Ukraine national team would you like to take in your team for tomorrow's match?
- I am well acquainted with the Ukrainian national team. I know that many players of this team play very well in their clubs abroad. But I'd rather have my own players.
- Can you explain why not so long ago you allowed yourself to publicly congratulate the Russian Zenit, whose owners directly finance the war that kills thousands of Ukrainians?
- I trained many players and coaches in that team. In addition, there were several staff members with whom I also worked at that club. From the side of Zenit I received congratulations on my success in the Italian championship, and I think I had a reciprocal right to congratulate this club on winning their championship.
I think it is incorrect to tie the sporting component to conflicts with which I categorically disagree. I am against any conflict and war in general. We Italians are close to people who are suffering. We think of families who want to live in peace, of children who are not alive. And we really hope that this conflict will end as soon as possible. We are close to all families who have experienced or are experiencing suffering. In all situations.
Alexander POPOV from Leverkusen
