Former defender of Kyiv’s “Dynamo” and the Ukraine national team Taras Mikhalyk shared what he expects from the match of the final round of the group stage of the Nations League Albania — Ukraine, which will take place today in Tirana.
Taras Mikhalyk. Photo — Facebook“If we don’t beat Albania, it will be a bit not... Not proper”
— Taras, as they say in Odessa, we are on the verge of a grand turmoil. The Ukraine national team has trapped itself and must do whatever it takes to beat Albania to avoid slipping down to Division “C” in the Nations League. Are our boys capable of defeating Silvinho’s team?
— I’ll start by saying that I think the Albania national team is a mid-tier team in European football. Strong, but mid-tier. Still, in my subjective opinion, Ukraine is the favorite in this match. A “nasty” opponent is waiting for our boys, the Albanians play somewhat inconsistently, and they do not allow others.
Are they capable of winning or not? I am confident that this Ukraine national team can defeat teams much stronger than Albania. It’s just that our boys haven’t had it together in this Nations League cycle. However, if we don’t defeat Albania, it will be a bit not... Not proper, let’s say.
There’s been an excessive amount of criticism directed at our boys from all sides. And this also reflects on their game, on the results. Maybe something is wrong internally within the national team, but we do not know that.
You know, I would just like to ask everyone — fans, journalists, experts — to currently support the boys morally.
— Moral support is an important thing, I agree, but it's not an argument on the field. We will not be playing in Tirana. How do you think our boys should play to achieve a crucial victory? Should they throw themselves at Albania with an open helmet from the first minutes? Or is that unwise, and again we will see a team that waits and focuses more on counter-plays?
— It’s up to Rebrov to decide how to play. (Laughs) As for the playing style of this Ukraine national team, I can’t even say for certain what it is. When I played in the blue-and-yellow jersey, we indeed played more on counterattacks. Simpler football, pragmatic. Less tiki-taka, less of that buildup as it’s fashionable to say now. But this national team is different. Under Shevchenko, we played differently for sure.
I don’t want to recall the game against Romania at Euro 2024 (loss 0:3), also a mid-tier team, plus-minus like Albania, and our national team was simply run over.
Everyone must definitely play with tremendous dedication. I have no questions regarding this aspect with the boys against Georgia. Can we say they didn’t give their all? They wanted to win, they tried. However, against the Romanians, it was “not in that steppe.”
“The national team has enough creative players, but for some reason, there is a lack of quality play from Ukraine. That is the problem”
— After the game against Georgia, Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi completely destroyed Dovbyk. What do you think about Artem's game and his current form?
— I read that interview. I will say this: it’s always easy to talk while sitting on the couch. Mr. Kvartsyanyi is a respected specialist, he played and coached himself. If a person who has never played football said such things, it would be a different matter, but here... He said that Dovbyk might fall to the level of an amateur team. Complete nonsense.
Everyone expects goals from him because he is the Pichichi (the top scorer of the Spanish La Liga in the 2023/24 season, editor's note). Artem is a high-level footballer, and the fact that he is not doing well with the national team has both subjective and objective reasons.
— For example?
— In “Girona,” the whole team played for him, which is why his performance was so good. He changed teams and leagues in the summer. Spain and Italy are different championships. La Liga and Serie A are markedly different. One cannot say that everything is going super for him in Rome now, but he is trying, scoring. He is getting used to new partners, to the team little by little.
But in the national team, Dovbyk, as if cut off. He plays completely without the ball. And what should he do? Take the ball himself and beat half of the opposing team to score a goal? He needs to calm down a bit. We all want Ukraine to outplay everyone, and for Dovbyk to score three goals in every game. And I am no exception. But, in my opinion, it’s better to support Artem now rather than put pressure on him.
— Dovbyk was criticized not only by Kvartsyanyi, while it seems that everyone was satisfied with Mudryk's results after the game against Georgia. “Man of the match,” good press. He deserved it, I don’t argue. But is he ready to take on leadership qualities in the match against Albania and in the next ones?
— When Mudryk is on form, he really leads the team. He is a leader on the field, unstoppable. But he doesn’t demonstrate the same game from match to match. I would like more stability. Mudryk really performed strongly against Georgia. And I would like it to be the same against Albania, or even better.
Overall, we have enough creative players in the national team, but for some reason, there is a lack of quality play from Ukraine. That is the problem.
“Ukraine has never been at the level of Brazil or France, but we have always been a strong team”
— If I knock on the table now and Ukraine loses, will it really be a grand failure, or given that this is not a qualification for the world championship or Euro, should we not prepare to scream “shame”?
— This will clearly not be a success, to put it mildly. Getting eliminated from a group where Belgium, France, or Italy are not opponents, as it happened to Israel, yes, that would be a bad result.
Ukraine has never been at the level of Brazil or France, but we have always been a strong team. God forbid everything will be fine. Something is not coming together for Rebrov’s team, I hope the situation will improve after the match with Albania.
— Regarding Serhii Stanislavovych. He is criticized no less than Dovbyk. How would you assess his work at the head of our national team?
— One shouldn’t pin everything on the coach. I really dislike this phrase: “The team always wins, and the coach always loses.” The results of Ukraine should be the responsibility of everyone together: both Rebrov and his players. Collectively.
— A prediction from Taras Mikhalyk.
— Oh, I'm a little afraid to prophesy. (Laughs) Against the Georgians, I said it would be 2:1 in our favor, and look how it turned out. I think this time Ukraine will win after all. My prediction is 1:0 in favor of our team.
Viktor Glukhensky
