Former Ukraine midfielder Oleh Shelayev told us what he expects from the matches of the 1/4 finals of Euro 2024 (Spain - Germany, Portugal - France, England - Switzerland, Netherlands - Turkey).
Oleg Shelayev- "There were no sensations in the 1/8 finals of Euro 2024," Shelayev said. "France and England won hard fought matches. The Netherlands were able to decide the fate of the match with Romania only at the end of the game, Austria, which was considered the favorite of the match with Turkey, and whose football I personally liked very much, unexpectedly lost the chance to go further.
The team that proved its class and met my expectations was Switzerland. I was impressed by the Spanish national team, which, thanks to a well-coordinated team play, individual skill and the presence of its own game idea, was able to knock out a nice team from Georgia. As for Germany, the tournament hosts performed more or less well.
- Who can be considered the main favorite after the 1/8 finals?
- Identifying a favorite now is the wrong approach. With the exception of Turkey, the success of all the other teams was expected, and all of them can continue to be considered contenders for the trophy.
- Why do the truly star-studded teams of England and France play so hard?
- Because the star players of these national teams have not really rested after a hard season in the top European championships. They had about 8-10 days off before the Euros, but during this period they were already in the training camp of their national teams. Is this a vacation? That's why it's noticeable that the French and English - to a greater extent, and sometimes the Portuguese, Belgians and Danish players - lack energy, and they literally squeeze something constructive out of themselves.
Against this backdrop, by the way, the Spanish national team stood out favorably due to the energy of its young players, who are more numerous in the Spanish team than in other top teams. France and England, in particular, are still saving their energy and playing exclusively by the score. I think that in the 1/4 finals, these teams will add in movement and aggression.
- Which of the players impressed you and who disappointed you?
- There are none... Of course, there are those stars we already know well. However, they are not very impressive so far. I liked Güler's game for the Turkish national team, he scores, but we also know him well because he is a Real Madrid player. There was no other discovery, a player about whom we knew little before the Euros, and then he shone, that is, he became a new star... There were European Championships where this happened.
- Can't Kvaratskhelia be considered a discovery?
- We have already seen what he is capable of in matches for Napoli. In the Georgian national team, Kvaratskhelia lacks the partners that Napoli has. Although, Mikautadze is a good player and, to some extent, a discovery.
- Do you have the impression that the German national team, as the host of Euro 2024, receives any advantages?
- If they do, they are not very noticeable yet. The only thing is that the spectator support for the Germans is greater, but this is quite logical. Germany, thanks to discipline and well-organized team play, overcomes barrier after barrier. But no one, not even the Germans, who play on their home soil, has the same spirit as Spain, which plays with both heart and soul.
- All the teams from the group in which the Ukrainian national team played were eliminated in the 1/8 finals...
- That's why we said before the European Championship that this group is within our grasp, and the minimum task for the Ukrainian national team is to reach the playoffs. However, remember how the matches of the 1/8 finals went. Slovakia looked quite decent in the match with England, the Romanians had to play with the more skillful Dutch team, which, unlike the Ukrainians, was able to score, and Belgium fell to France and lost by one goal after an auto-goal. Therefore, it's not so simple...
- Which match of the 1/8 finals did you like the most?
- In terms of intrigue - the England-Slovakia match, in terms of content - the meeting between Spain and Georgia. And, despite the score of the match, I liked the game of both the Spaniards and the Georgians.
- Which match of the 1/4 finals of Euro 2024 will you watch with special attention?
- Definitely the confrontation between Spain and Germany. There is intrigue there, a lot of unknowns. And as often happens in major tournaments, we will have to watch the early final. But what can you do, that's the way the tournament grid has arranged it.
Oleg Semenchenko
