Dynamo Kyiv defender Konstantin Vivcharenko commented on the victory over Oleksandriya (1:0) in the 24th round of the Ukrainian Championship in an interview to the UPL TV Youtube channel and also spoke about the changes in the team's game under its current head coach Oleksandr Shovkovskiy.
Konstantin Vivcharenko. Photo — Y. Yuriev- The game with "Alexandria" was hard, so we are very happy that we won. After the match there were positive emotions, but they have already subsided, so we will prepare for the next match.
- How do you comment on the two yellow cards received by Nazar Voloshin?
- As for the first episode, I do not think that there was any yellow card. And the second moment I did not see in detail. Of course, Nazar was very upset, he could not even say anything. But we came out for the second and the whole team fought for the result.
- How did you manage to compensate for the minority?
- It was very hard, but due to team play, communication, desire, we strived for the victory, which was a very important result for us. We knew that we would have a chance to score. We were patient.
- Did you follow the match this round of the main rival of Dynamo in the fight for the championship - Shakhtar?
- Yes, of course, I followed and cheered for Vorskla. Unfortunately, the Poltava team failed to score in the majority. Well, the race continues.
- To become the champion, Dynamo not only need to win the remaining matches, but also count on Shakhtar's misfire. Which of the Pitmen's opponents do you have special hopes for in this regard?
- Shakhtar's next game is against Zorya - so we will hope for them. But the most interesting things lie ahead.
- You have enough dry games in the second half of the season. How does Shovkovskiy's coaching staff work with the defenders, who leads it?
- Probably, it is more Sergei Fedorov. He works with us as a defender, he is with us after training, he stays for some exercises, he gives us more tips, and we trained at the training camp. I think that we are playing very well now. There is communication among teammates. What we have been playing, that is what is happening now.
- Do you feel progress in your game? What have you managed to add, what do you still need to work on?
- We still need to work on everything. But I have confidence in my partners, in myself, in the team, that's why everything is going so well.
- Of the eight games in the spring in the championship, you played six games in the starting lineup, two - with Vladislav Dubinchak. Do you feel now you are the main player who won a difficult competition?
- We have a very good competition with Vlad, so you should not think that one of us is the main player. I try to prove at trainings, and the coaching staff already decides who will play. That's why I do my best and prove.
- How functionally has your role as a left-back changed after Shovkovskiy's arrival, if we compare it with the previous coaches?
- Probably, if Mircea Lucescu asked to be on the flank, now we have such a free shift. We can move to the centre, for example, where there is space. Somewhere we have given freedom to our actions.
- I noticed that you are trying to use a trendy variant of a fake edge defender. Is it your freedom of action is no longer limited only to work on the flank, or is it a conceptual coaching instruction to shift to the centre when the attack comes from the opposite flank?
- Of course, we practise it in training. It's not just that I wanted and ran to the centre. We practice all this in training, we try to confuse the opponents.
- How much do you prefer this function? Or maybe it's better to do it the classic way - on the halfway line?
- No, probably, it is better if you can do everything on the pitch, and not just run in a straight line.
- As for this role and getting into the central zone. Do you have a benchmark, which players do it most organically and effectively?
- Probably Manchester City. They very often have edge defenders going into the centre. Yoshko Guardiol is playing very well there now, he scored against Real Madrid. Kyle Walker. This is an example of how modern fullbacks should play for sure.
- It will be a very busy summer for Ukrainian teams. The U-17 and U-19 national teams have qualified for the Euros. By your age you qualify for other national teams, for the Olympic team, and nobody cancelled the adult Euro. What are your football plans and dreams for this summer?
- Of course, I would like to get into the national team. It is, of course, a dream to represent my country, the national team. So I will train, do my best, and the coaching staff will decide who deserves to get into the national team and Euro-2024.
- You have not been called up to the national team yet, but you know the head coach Sergei Rebrov?
- We were in the training process a month ago. The Ukrainian national team has a very good coaching staff, very cool. Very cool atmosphere there. So, of course, it adds even more motivation and I want to get into the national team.
