Yuriy Kulish, a midfielder for Chornomorets in the 1980s and 1990s, shared his expectations for the return leg of the Conference League playoffs, in which Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih will meet Betis in Spain.
Yuriy Kulish- I watched the match in Kosice, which was won by the Spaniards, on TV and was able to determine what the current Betis team is like. I can say that this team also has weaknesses that Kryvbas can exploit in today's match. At least, there is hope that if the head coach of Kryvyi Rih takes into account all the mistakes that were made in the first meeting, has time to analyze and correct them, then everything can be. Nothing is impossible in football. We have witnessed many situations when in European Cup competitions one team lost the first match 0:3 and then scored three goals in the second match, making the overall score 3:3 and taking the game to overtime or a penalty shootout, where they won. Such eminent clubs as Real Madrid, Barelona, Benfica, and many others have clearly demonstrated this. You can't fool football. So I repeat: a lot will depend on the coach and the correction of mistakes.
- What about the players' attitude?
- Believe me, in matches of this level, there is no need to talk about the mood at all! After all, the Betis team itself, as well as participation in European competitions, is the stimulus that should make the players play at their best. So there is no need to tune them up for such games - the attitude has been in each of them for a long time. "Does Kryvbas often play in European competitions? No, we don't. Therefore, everything will depend on Yuriy Vernydub and how well he will organize the game and whether he will find the weaknesses of Betis, which Sevilla, like any other team, has.
- What would you pay attention to if you were in the position of Kryvbas head coach before the match with Betis?
- First of all, I would try to improve the defense. In one situation, if necessary, I would meet the opponent a little "higher", in another - "lower". When you analyze the situation, you see where your team has a gap. And accordingly, you try to close it. For example, if your wing defender is clearly inferior in speed and his opponent is fidgeting so that the main danger during attacks comes from that edge, then the coach takes certain measures. He must either make a rotation or put an equally fast and tenacious player in that position. Sometimes the coach makes a substitution for a one-on-one game, because there are players who play the whole game. That is, a lot depends on how the coach adjusts to the return game and how he prepares the team for it.
- As you know, the quality of this process is hampered by logistics and a tight schedule of official matches...
- In this situation, of course, Yuriy Vernydub cannot be envied, because during martial law, Kryvbas has to struggle with logistics. It can be said that the Kryvyi Rih team is constantly "on wheels". Judge for yourself: on August 22, Kryvbas played in Kosice, Slovakia, and just three days later, on August 25, they were already in Kryvyi Rih, where they met with Ingulets. After that, they went in transit through Moldova to Spain, where they will face Betis in a second duel on August 29. Three matches in seven days, and with constant traveling, and even during the war - you must admit, it is quite difficult. However, be that as it may, I repeat: nothing is impossible. And I am sure that Kryvbas can still show its teeth. I will say one thing: if Kryvyi Rih scores first, they will have every chance to save the situation.
Viacheslav Kulchytskyi
