Legend of Dynamo Leonid Buryak shared his expectations for the Nations League match between the national teams of Georgia and Ukraine.
Leonid Buryak. Photo: fcdynamo.com
— What are the chances for the Ukrainian national team to achieve a positive result in the match against Georgia?
— There are always chances. They just need to be realized. We put ourselves in this situation. But the Ukrainian national team has qualified players. We will see how they prepare and how they approach this game. The match will be against a tough opponent. I think the Georgian team has improved. The Georgian team at home is a worthy opponent.
I watched the match between the Georgians and the Albanians, which they lost. Albania played very well in that match. Georgia did not have a hundred percent chances, and the Albanians won 1:0. But the game was still quite tense. I think everything depends on our guys. The question is who will take the field with what tactical plan. There are no deadlock situations, although we have made things difficult for ourselves in the group. But we can still get out of this situation with dignity. Of course, we need to win the two remaining matches — against Georgia and Albania.
— The match will be in Batumi at a stadium that holds 20 thousand. What do you say about this arena and what else can you add about the upcoming confrontation?
— The stadium is good, the pitch is good. It's always interesting to play in Georgia. And it is worth noting that in the Georgian national team, more players play abroad than in Ukraine. They have quite a few players competing in good European clubs, including from Spain and France. And the goalkeeper for the Georgians, Mamardashvili, is quite elite. Many European clubs want him in their ranks.
I think it should be a good game. The Ukrainian national team has qualified players who represent Dynamo, Shakhtar, Chelsea, Arsenal. I think our players need to approach this match responsibly because this is not club level, but a game for the national team. The situation for the Ukrainian national team is difficult, but solvable.
— It will be interesting to see the confrontation between the attacking lines of the teams. For Georgia — it’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and for Ukraine — Mykhailo Mudryk and Artem Dovbik!
— I wouldn't compare Khvicha with Mudryk and the rest. Kvaratskhelia constantly plays for Napoli. He is a main player for the Neapolitans. Khvicha is in form. As for the current condition of Mudryk, Zinchenko, Yaremchuk, we do not know. They do not have regular playing practice. And when players do not play, their game tone is lowered. It has also become known that Vanat was injured.
Yes, we have a good team, but the national team has not scored enough points at the moment. The team needs fresh, healthy players who will take the field and give their all in the match, meeting the coach's requirements. We hope that the Ukrainian national team will achieve a positive result in this meeting. There are always options in every game. Of course, Georgia has a good attacking line, where Khvicha stands out. We can also highlight the central defenders and the goalkeeper.
Of course, Georgia has a balanced national team. Moreover, they will be playing at home. I hope the game will be interesting. The ideal scenario would be a good game and a win! But in the current situation, we care about the result. We wish the Ukrainian national team good luck!
Dmytro Kotkov
