Myron Markevych: "Ronaldo and Pepe need to finish with the Portuguese national team"

Head coach of Lviv "Karpaty" Myron Markevych shared his impressions of yesterday's matches of the 1/4 finals of Eur-2024 Spain - Germany (2:1) and Portugal - France (0:0, penalty - 3:5).

- Everyone called the match between the Spaniards and the Germans a small final. Did it live up to your expectations?

- It was good soccer. Two equal teams met, the chances of which were regarded as 50/50. However, fate smiled more on the Spaniards. Although Germany could also win. I don't remember Rüdiger making such mistakes as he did in yesterday's match with the second goal.

- Perhaps, just as you do not remember such behavior of the German national team leader Toni Kroos, who showed excessive rudeness in yesterday's game?

- Yes. He doesn't have time anymore. After all, he played a difficult season in Real Madrid, and in games at the European Championship such serious speed... Probably, he did the right thing that he finished. (Smiles).

- The main echo of the match Spain - Germany was the episode in the 107th minute, when the ball after the German player hit the hand of the Spaniard Mark Cucurella, who was in his own penalty area. Was it a penalty?

- It's hard to say. It depends on how the referees look at it. You can award a penalty or not.

- There is no doubt that today in all German media this topic has become the main topic....

- Of course! But it's hard to say to give a penalty in a game of this magnitude. The referee simply did not dare, believing that the hand was not so obvious. It's understandable that the Germans are unfortunate. But nothing can be done, it's soccer....

- What do you think about the other quarterfinal match - Portugal vs. France?

- I liked the Portuguese better in this game. Perhaps they should be in the semifinals. But this is my personal opinion.

- What do you think prevented the Portuguese national team?

- We need to score. There were favorable moments for this. Realize them and that's it.

- In the duel with the French, unlike the game with Slovenia, the Portuguese goalkeeper Diego Costa did not help out in the penalty shootout....

- It's a lottery. That's why it's called that. The French executed the penalty shootout well, and there's nothing to be said for that.

- Some believe that the presence of 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo is a kind of anchor for the Portuguese national team. Do you agree with that?

- I think he should be done with the national team. Play in Saudi Arabia at the club level and that's it. And the national team should find someone to replace Ronaldo. After all, in my opinion, he somewhat suppresses his teammates - all free kicks he tries to hit. No, no, he definitely needs to finish. Portugal has a lot of young players who should be allowed to join the main team. For stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, you have to leave on time.

- But another veteran of the Portuguese national team, Pepe, has already passed his fifth decade and is still in the national team "puffing"....

- "Puffing"... He also needs to finish. I do not think that he, like Ronaldo, should stay in the national team for a long time. Although for a defensive line player to play at such a venerable age, as they say, is still a good thing. So much running and laying out, as players of other roles do not need. But the offensive players are a different matter. They need to run a lot, work, create. So I don`t know if it`s right to play at such a serious age by soccer standards.

Vyacheslav Kulchitsky