Vyacheslav Zakhovailo, a well-known manager and expert, told us what he expects from the match between Ukraine and the Czech Republic in the 4th round of the Nations League, which will take place today in Wroclaw.
- Let's start with a simple one: will the Ukrainian national team be the favorite in the match against the Czech Republic or did the first match finally emphasize the difference in class?
- In my opinion, there is no clear favorite in this match, but if we estimate the chances of winning in percentage terms, I give 55 to 45 in favor of Ukraine.
In general, it's worth noting that both our team and the Czech Republic are far from their optimal form and are facing a certain crisis, let's say a number of problems. The fact is that both Serhiy Rebrov and Ivan Hasek failed to call up all their best players to the national teams. The Czechs are also going through a generational change. Hasek is even forced to bring in veterans. For example, forward Jan Kliment from Sigma returned to the national team after seven years of absence. By the way, Czech head coach Hasek, like Rebrov, has a lot of criticism against him now.
I remember the September game. Before the match, the Czechs did not really believe that they could beat Ukraine, but it turned out that our team beat itself. I mean, there were a lot of mistakes on the part of the Ukrainians, which is why they lost in the end.
- What are your expectations for the upcoming match? Should we hope for a bright and productive game or, given the tournament schedules, should we prepare for a confrontation of tactics when both teams will play defense?
- I understand the Czech strategy for the match with Ukraine. I am sure they will try to play their usual game. That is, first of all, to rely on quick counterattacks and standard positions, where the Czechs are much better than the Ukrainians in the second floor game, to be honest.
- So, we shouldn't expect bright and effective football?
- No, we shouldn't. Especially if the pitch in Wroclaw is of the same quality as in Poznan. Neither the Czechs nor the Ukrainians will try to weave lace or build-ups, because there will be a high probability of mistakes.
I expect both teams to play what is known as vertical football. They will act from the defense. So, we shouldn't expect a lot of goals.
- Should we expect a rotation?
- I don't think so. I can say the same about tactics and scheme. Although, I do not rule out the option that against the Czech Republic Rebrov will try to play three center backs.
In general, looking at the composition of Ukraine, I am sure that we will see orthodox football. Vertical football. Ukraine will not be the first to act and hold the ball for most of the game, because there is no one to hold it. Our leading players, I mean Tsygankov, Yarmolenko and Malinowski, are out due to injuries.
- How painful are the losses of defender Robin Hranach from Hoffenheim and forward Patrick Schick from Bayer Leverkusen for the Czech Republic?
- In my opinion, these are not losses for the Czech Republic at all. Schick hasn't been playing well for a long time. He scored one goal for Bayer this season, and that was in the Super Cup. This is not a player who makes the weather in the Czech national team.
As for Hranáč, his loss is not critical, because Hasek has plenty of options in the defense. All the defenders in the Czech Republic are of the same class, give or take.
- There are no players of the caliber of Nedved, Poborski or Rosicky in the Czech Republic, but the team is quite strong. Who is the leader of this team and what makes it show fairly stable results and almost never miss European Championships?
- Discipline. This is the Czechs' main trump card. Bright players, world-class stars, like Nedved was in his time, have not been in Czech football for a long time. In recent years, the Czechs have been winning due to well-established team play and, once again, discipline.
- What can Ukraine do to beat the Czech Republic?
- Ukraine is quite capable of defeating the Czech Republic. Serhiy Rebrov's team needs to play intensively on the ball, not chew it up, act quickly between zones, and turn the Czechs' heads. If we manage to do that, we will win, but if not, the Czechs will "swallow us up" if we don't play differently than in the first match. They will wait for their moment and score. Ukraine can't open up any zones, and we need to play defense as clearly as possible, remembering that the Czechs are real basketball players in the second floor.
We have some kind of "midget show" in the national team. And not only in the national team, but also in Ukrainian clubs. Honestly, I don't know where our scouts are looking. Almost every player is a meter tall with a cap... Where does that fit in? Some may argue with me that size, i.e. height, is not important, but look at the defenders from the Premier League and the UPL. Everything will become clear at once.
- Viacheslav, let's move away from pre-match talk a bit. There are currently only three Ukrainian legionnaires playing in the Czech league. How come? There are more of our players even in the Premier League.
- The Czech market is quite closed. The penetration of legionnaires into it is quite problematic. And, frankly, no one here in the Czech Republic promotes Ukrainian players because no one is interested in them.
- Wait, are our players worse than African legionnaires, of whom there are a lot in the Czech Republic?
- There are no players on the Ukrainian domestic market who would be of interest to Czech clubs. That's all. In recent years, the Czech Chance League has grown significantly in class. Just look at the UEFA coefficient table and everything will become clear. Many experts here live in the memories of what used to be... Yes, it happened that Dynamo and Shakhtar played in the UEFA Cup semifinals, but nowadays the times are completely different. Unfortunately, Ukrainian club football is now in a position below the baseboard.
It is true that there are enough legionnaires in the Chance League. I would even say there is a dominance, especially in the leading clubs like Slavia. Czech clubs have realized that they can make money in European competitions. Therefore, they set themselves ambitious goals and buy fairly high-quality legionnaires who can immediately produce results.
Now the situation in Czech club football reminds me of what happened in Ukraine in the mid-2000s.
The system of training young players in Ukrainian clubs is such that we have long been losing to European clubs, including the Czech ones, especially in athleticism. Ukrainian players, when it comes to the national team, are like light cavalry. They expect to outrun everyone, but it doesn't work.
- Prediction for the Ukraine vs Czech Republic match by Viacheslav Zakhovailo.
- I'm sure Ukraine will definitely put up a fight and, if everything goes well in defense, will get three points. This is a key game. If our guys beat the Czechs, they can win the group as a whole, I think so.
In general, I'm inclined to think that there will be a draw, but if Ukraine scores first, it should win.
Viktor Hlukhenkyi