The midfielder of Zhytomyr “Polissya” and the Ukrainian national team, Oleksandr Nazarenko, commented on the results of the draw for the playoff round of the Nations League for the right to compete in Division “A” of the tournament, which assigned the Belgian national team as the opponent for the Ukrainian national team, and also shared his impressions of the recent matches against Georgia (1:1) and Albania (2:1).
— Sash, I can’t help but ask, with what emotions did you return from your second call-up to the Ukrainian national team?
— The emotions are positive, I am very happy to be back home. The most important thing is that we returned with a victory, and the mood is very good.
— Did you feel more confident in the national team when you came on as a substitute against Georgia?
— Yes, the second time is always different from the first. I was not as nervous, it was easier this time.
— What was the atmosphere like within the team after the match against Albania, after achieving a positive result?
— Indeed, everyone was satisfied, everyone was happy in the locker room. Besides, we were going out for the game on that very day. It was a significant day for our country, especially with the ongoing war, so we were very motivated and had no right to show ourselves in a bad light. We were tired, but very pleased. We dedicated this victory to our warriors and all the people of Ukraine.
Then Oleksandr Nazarenko picked up his phone to watch the Nations League playoff draw live
— Well, it’s a difficult opponent.
— Yes, a difficult one. And my bet didn’t work out.
— Who did you bet on?
— On the Serbs.
— Belgium, can this national team be beaten?
— I believe that everyone can be beaten, but the most important thing is to prepare well. The match is still a long way off. To be honest, I’m not thinking about that.
— Have you contacted your teammates about Belgium?
— I haven’t had the chance yet, just talked a bit with the guys from “Polissya.”
— And what did they say?
— They say we got lucky. (Smiles).