Former Dynamo Kyiv head coach Mircea Lucescu spoke in detail about the current Ukraine national team and its strong qualities in an interview with Romanian publication Golazo on the eve of Euro 2024.
Mircea Lucescu- The current Ukrainian national team has at least 12-13 players I have worked with, coached, many of whom made their debut under me.
The problem is that everything I say is picked up in Ukraine and immediately appears there. For this reason, I did not want to say anything during this period. Nevertheless, I am ready to talk about the Ukrainian national team. I hope the people of Ukraine will not be upset by what I will say.
- Name the two best qualities that this team possesses.
- First: the current Ukraine national team is essentially made up of players from just two teams - Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk. Someone now plays in these clubs, someone played in them earlier, and now plays in Western European clubs.
- And why is it an advantage for the Ukrainian national team?
- Because it gives it homogeneity. Homogeneity of the game, and also homogeneity in the emotional and sentimental sense. the players are very close to each other, which gives them great strength.
- The second quality?
- The level of the players. Look at the teams from Europe represented by the Ukrainian national team players: Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea, Benfica, Girona.
- Do you have an explanation for how Ukraine managed to reach such an extraordinary level?
- It is a consequence of the way they nurture and develop their young players. For me it is sensational and is far beyond the level that Romania has. Their academies are much better than ours, they produce players on an assembly line.
- Ukraine played two friendly matches: 0:0 with Germany and 1:3 with Poland.
- Yes, but only the first of them is relevant. In the second one, the head coach of the Ukraine national team simply used the remaining players from the application. I think that it is the composition of the national team of Ukraine in the match with Germany with minor changes will be the main one at Euro-2024. Mikolenko was absent (recovering from injury - ed.), but he will be in the starting lineup. I also think that Dovbik will be the striker instead of Yaremchuk.
- With Germany, the Ukrainians played with three central defenders.
- Yes, but with Romania they will not play like that. There will be two central defenders, which means that there will be an additional player in the attacking line. With us they will play more aggressively.
- Who makes the game of the Ukraine national team?
- Its most important player is Zabarny. He is the most important for the team.
- The central defender?
- Yes! The whole game starts with defense. Zabarny has an extraordinary balance in the game. He feels perfectly when to accelerate, he is a great player.
After Zabarny I will name Stepanenko. Any team would like to have such a midfielder. His play on defense is very good, he can do incredible things. Vertical passes with great difficulty penetrate the defensive orders of the Ukrainian national team, and this is primarily the merit of Stepanenko.
- And Sudakov?
- At the moment he is considered the most promising player of the Ukrainian championship. He has great efficiency, he is perfectly able to play from the left flank to the center, he has a good shot, he often appears in the final phase. There is not really a big difference between the level of his play on defense and the level of his play on attack, and to be able to play so well in both phases is a great achievement for a young player like him.
- Who do you single out from the Ukrainian national team attack?
- The pair Tsygankov - Dovbik, which has achieved an extraordinary form in Girona. This team fought on equal terms with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico. They have fantastic confidence, they lead almost the entire game.
- Apart from this tandem, are there any other pairs that could give the Romanian national team big problems?
- On the left: Mikolenko - Mudric. They have a special strength here. Mikolenko has a high level of play.
In general, the Ukrainian national team, in addition to very and very strong main 11 players, has 5-6 performers of about the same level in reserve. In short, there are 16-17 players, and whichever of them Rebrov chooses, there will be no fundamental difference. This is a big advantage for the Ukraine national team. It has high-level players, who constantly play and have proven themselves, this is a huge advantage over us. Romania also has some quality players, but they do not play in their clubs, and this will create difficulties for us.
- What do you say about Serhiy Rebrov as a coach?
- As a player, he was my rival when I coached Shakhtar. He was very cerebral, intelligent. He had an atypical physique for a striker, and his small stature helped him develop good technique.
As a coach Rebrov has already accumulated important experience. If I am not mistaken, he has about 5-6 championship titles on his account, including outside Ukraine, in Ferencvaros, in Al-Ain, in the Emirates. He has matured, and I am sure his contribution will raise the level of the team's play, which is already high. In principle, of all the Eastern European teams that will be at this Euro, Ukraine is the best.
- Even better than Turkey?
- Yes, even better than Turkey. In fact, I think today's Ukraine national team is the best of all time!
- Better than the Ukraine national team that played in the quarterfinals of the World Championship in Germany-2006?
- That team ended on that achievement. And the current team has not yet said its word. That's why I think that the Ukraine national team can be a surprise at this Euro.
- How far, in your opinion, will Ukraine reach the European Championship?
- It may even reach the semifinals.
- Will you be at the match between Ukraine and Romania?
- Of course. I have already got tickets and I will be in the stands.
Translation and stylistic adaptation - Dynamo.kiev.ua, when using the material hyperlink is mandatory!
