Former Ukrainian national team player Mykyta Kamenyuka told NV what he expects from our country's national team in the Euro 2024 match against Slovakia.
- Mykyta, what is your aftertaste of Ukraine's game against Romania?
- I think a lot has already been said about this game, how we played, what the result was. This is the result we all did not expect. But we need to forget about this game and move on. Because if you think about it, you won't be able to do anything good in the next game.
- Looking at the game against Romania, what are your expectations for the game against Slovakia?
- I think it will be a tough game anyway. Because the Slovaks have three points, they understand what kind of football they need to play, they know how to play. They played good football against the Belgians. So I expect a tough game. But it is more important for us, we need to do it, we have to do it. We just have to get together and show our best qualities. If we show them, if we play aggressively in attack, if we don't just pass the ball, but with the advance, if we create chances in front of the goal, we will succeed, I am sure.
- This defeat should invigorate our team, but the Slovaks are on a high right now after their victory over the Belgians. Both teams are motivated. Will it be a life-or-death match?
- Of course, I think that we have nowhere to retreat, and the Slovaks understand that if they draw or win this game, they will have solved the issue of leaving the group. I assume that will happen. But on the other hand, if we win and the Belgians win, we will have a good situation in our group. There will be a fight to the last, to the last round. So I think Ukraine will do its best.
- Everything is at stake. There's a lot of hate for our team right now. How do you psychologically prepare for this game against Slovakia?
- I think we shouldn't pay too much attention to this. Our players will be able to cope with it. They have been in such situations many times before. They are all professionals and everyone understands how to deal with it. So we need to support them in any case. What has already happened has happened. A lot has been said, many experts are analyzing how we should have played and why we didn't. Everyone knows how to talk after the game. They said who should be in the lineup, who should play. Only the coach could do that. And he chose the tactics, the game, the players. And the players chose how to play the game. It didn't work out, we didn't score, we missed goals, there were some mistakes. But all this needs to be forgotten, discarded. I am saying that everything is in the past, it has already happened. The next game is the most important. Let people tell me now who should be put in the lineup. And if there is no result, will these experts be responsible for this result? No, that's why I think that in any case, we need to support the national team now and draw conclusions at the end of this Euro.
- What is your prediction for the match? Will it be a very open game?
- I don't know whether it will be open or not, it's hard to say. I think there will be a struggle for space, a struggle for second balls, for rebounds. There will be a lot of struggle in the center of the field, I think. And there will be a lot of set pieces.
- Who do you think will be stronger?
- In any case, Ukraine, only Ukraine.
Andrii Pavlenko