Dynamo Kyiv defender Vladyslav Dubinchak shared his impressions of his team's training camp and expectations for the season's resumption.
- What emotions did the team have when they returned to Kyiv?
- With good emotions, because we returned home. We missed our families very much. We had been away for a month, so we returned with great joy.
- How are the conditions for training in winter at your home base?
- Everything is great, the pitches are ready for training. Thanks to the base staff for preparing the field for us in good condition. There are no problems.
- A month of training camps in Turkey are behind us. How did you remember it?
- It was hard work. Before the training camp, we worked for another week in Kyiv, and it was also hard work. We had two training sessions every day. Fortunately, we are approaching the resumption of the season with almost no injuries. In general, the training camp went well.
- During the training camp and already in Kyiv, a lot of attention is paid to the draws of standard positions during training. Is this something the coaching staff pays special attention to?
- Even at the end of the season, when the head coach changed, we started working a lot on set pieces, because in the league, many goals were conceded after set pieces. So we are working on this to avoid making such mistakes in defence and to be sharper in attack.
- The team played 10 friendly matches. Which ones are most memorable?
- The most memorable were the last matches, when we had already gained optimal fitness and could compete on equal terms with our rivals. At first, we met with teams that were almost ready for official matches, and we had just arrived at the training camp, so it was a bit difficult and unpleasant, because we could be "taken for a ride", so to speak.
- Were there any teams among the sparring partners that looked like rivals from the UPL?
- Perhaps the Bulgarian Levski. They played intensely, covered well, played disciplined defence. They are similar to teams from Ukraine.
- The first official game will be against Metalist 1925. What are your expectations from this team?
- They have a new coach and new players, so it will be an interesting match. We all remember Viktor Skrypnyk's time at Zorya, which was a good team, so he will probably prepare the team well for the match, and the game will be interesting. I hope we will win.
- The most high-profile transfer of Kharkiv in the winter off-season was the signing of Denys Harmash. What do you expect from the meeting with your former team-mate?
- I think he will be highly motivated because he will be playing against his former club. This is always an additional motivation. I think he needs special attention from us if he plays. He will probably be the most dangerous player in the Kharkiv team.
- What are the team's goals for the second half of the season?
- We have a lot of work ahead of us. I don't want to make any loud statements, but I hope we will succeed. Everyone, from the young to the old, understands the tasks facing Dynamo Kyiv. I won't even talk about it again. We understand everything ourselves.