Ukrainiannational team striker Roman Yaremchuk also tookpart in the press conference of thehead coach of theUkrainian national teamSerhiy Rebrov, which tookplace today in Wroclaw and was dedicated to tomorrow's match of the final play-off round of the Euro 2024 qualifying cycle against Iceland.
- Do you have any personal pre-match ritual?
- There are no rituals. You have to be professional during the whole period of preparation for the match. That is my ritual.
- How difficult is it to prepare for a match with the understanding that there is no right to make a mistake?
- You have to say less that it's the match of a lifetime, that you have to win. We need to talk less, and do more on the pitch. Everyone understands the importance of the match. All the guys play at a high enough level in their clubs, but now we represent our country - it's quite different. So we need to show in the game that we are good footballers. Show not in words, but on the pitch.
- Is it good that now the national team of Ukraine is represented by players from so many clubs?
- It is a plus for the country. We represent the best championships of the world. I think it is not easy for the coaching staff of the team to gather all of us in one scheme in a few days to think the same way, because we play differently in our clubs. But the level of players has grown. It remains to prove it on the pitch. In the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina we did not show the level of class players. We have to do it here, because a lot of our fans will gather at the stadium. It is a very important match.
- Who is the leader in the locker room of the Ukraine national team now?
- I think now we have a change of generations, a lot of young guys in the team. We lack Yarmolenko and Stepanenko, their leadership qualities. Sometimes you need one of the experienced players to shake up the younger guys. In a good sense of the word. It is very lacking in such important matches. On the other hand, there are a lot of guys in the team who perform at a fairly high level and can give some advice.
- Was there any conversation in the team after the match with the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- We talked about the experience in the previous play-off. When after the victory over Scotland we were euphoric one step before reaching the World Cup, and we disappointed the whole country in the game against Wales, and then we cried and wiped each other's snot. That's why there was talk that it shouldn't happen again, that we should take the upcoming match seriously. We have forgotten the game with the Bosnians and we are preparing for the game with Iceland with a completely different attitude. The situation in the country does not allow us to celebrate. We need to please the fans and the guys who are holding the front.
Alexander POPOV