Mladen Bartulovic, one of the coaches of Luhansk's Zorya, told us what he expects from the match between Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih and Czech side Viktoria in the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League.
- Kryvbas has a good chance of advancing. They had a good year last year, they have depth in their squad, and I believe they can get past Victoria.
I would add that all the teams from the Czech Republic are quite combative and have good discipline. Power teams, constant pressure, vertical football. This is the kind of game we are expecting. But Kryvbas can also use this style.
Last season, we (Zorya) had a chance to play Slavia Prague. This is a very strong team. Especially in home games, where they pressed us and beat us 2-0. There was another match in Poland (2-1) and we could have gone further. Therefore, the game between Kryvbas and Victoria will be very interesting.
This summer we were at a training camp in Slovenia and I attended a Kryvbas match there. From what I saw, Kryvyi Rih easily beat Dinamo Bucharest 2-0. And now they have played a good match in the first round of the UPL against Chornomorets (1:0). Yuriy Vernydub's teams have always been characterized by good physical fitness, and now it is already evident in Kryvbas.
I think that the Kryvyi Rih team is in good shape for the Europa League matches. At the training camp, they had a clear structure of the game and a good understanding, especially in the attacking line. The Ukrainian team has good speedy players who can run out on the counterattack. The coaching staff, and Yuriy Mykolayovych himself, are very experienced in European competitions. So they will analyze the opponent well and choose the right tactics.
- What is your prediction for the first match?
- Kryvbas will win 1-0. It will be a disciplined football game with waiting for your own chance. No one will fly off the handle here, with open football. I have played for Kryvbas for a long time (114 matches, 22 goals and 15 assists - ed.) and I really want them to go further, like other Ukrainian teams. I want Shakhtar, Dynamo and Kryvbas to score a lot of points for Ukraine in the UEFA coefficient table.
- So we should expect an offensive game in the return leg?
- Yes, of course. The teams will not open up immediately. The result will come first, because if one of these teams goes further, it will ensure participation in the group round of the European tournament. Also, no one will be interested in playing Betis in the Conference League playoffs.
Oleksandr Shcherbatykh