The head coach of Kyiv "Dynamo" Oleksandr Shovkovskyi answered questions from media representatives at the scheduled press conference before the home match of the 5th round of the main stage of the Europa League against Czech "Victoria," which will take place tomorrow in Hamburg.
— Are there any losses in the "Dynamo" squad ahead of the game with "Victoria"?
— We have all the same players injured who have not been able to help the team recently — Shepelev, Pikhalski, Yarmolenko, and Ceballos. Andriievskyi, who got sick, has joined them, and also, as you know, Dubinchak is suspended.
— Frequent travels have already become part of your schedule. Do you feel that the players have gotten used to it, or is it a new challenge each time?
— When you play at a high level, there are no small details. We can get used to it, but such things still have an impact; every little detail does not add to our possibilities. This has been talked about a lot, I don't want to repeat myself, but this factor still matters.
— What can you say about the game of "Victoria"? What is your opinion about this team, considering your rich coaching experience?
— The team's results speak for themselves. "Victoria" regularly plays in European competitions, constantly fights for top positions in the Czech championship, and has not lost a single match in the current cycle — both in qualification and in the main stage of the Europa League. This indicates its stability and aggressiveness. In short, it is a very difficult opponent, as many teams in the Europa League have felt.
Speaking of my experience as a player and coach, these are completely different things. I can say that Czech teams have always been distinguished by their fighting qualities; it has never been easy to play against them, and such matches have always been interesting for the fans.