The head coach of Kyiv’s Dynamo, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi, answered media questions during the regulatory pre-match press conference regarding the 6th round match of the main stage of the Europa League against the Spanish Real Sociedad.
Oleksandr Shovkovskyi— Which Dynamo players will miss tomorrow’s match for various reasons?
— We have losses. In addition to Andriy Yarmolenko, who is recovering and will not help us this year, Mykola Shaparenko and Taras Mikhavko have joined him. These are the players I won't be able to count on in tomorrow's match.
— What can you say about tomorrow’s opponent?
— First of all, it must be said that in recent years the team has consistently performed in La Liga, being in the upper part of the league table. At the last European Championship, the most players were from Real Sociedad in the Spain national team, which became the continental champion and demonstrated very high-quality play. This indicates the excellent strategic development direction that the team from San Sebastián has chosen in recent years.
I can say that the team likes to play with the ball, enjoys wing attacks, and shows very good performance. I believe that we will have a very decent opponent tomorrow. Unfortunately, we did not count on such a result, so we will strive to show our best qualities in the match tomorrow, go out onto the football field, demonstrate our best game, and prove that the recent results in the Europa League are an accident.
— In the first part of the season, Dynamo has played more matches than usual, considering the new format of European competitions. Is it difficult to maintain the players' physical condition at a proper level in the last calendar matches of the year?
— Summarizing should not be done in the middle of the tournament, but only after it ends. I can say that it has added certain piquancy, as in every match the teams aim only for victory. There are no trivial matches, and this is an additional plus for both fans and all football enthusiasts.
If we talk about teams, then undoubtedly the load on players has increased, especially for those who also represent their national teams. We are seeing a large number of injuries, and this is one of the negative points.
Regarding direct readiness, much has been said, and I don't want to and will not repeat myself. The end of the season is always difficult, but from my experience, I understand very well that if you start to think about the season coming to an end and mentally are already on vacation, then injuries and certain negative moments often occur. Therefore, players must be professionals until the end, must go out onto the football field as they do in training, both in training processes and matches, and prove their principle, their position, and their readiness to play in every match against any opponent.
— How does Dynamo plan to play tomorrow against Real Sociedad — will you attack or defend?
— Of course, I won’t tell you the plan and strategy for the game. You will see a team at training that is preparing for a principled game and fight. We can choose any strategy, but there is a game made up of each individual moment on the football field. And this game pattern should be supported in every line — both in attack and in defense. It needs to be a harmonious structure, and the guys who go out onto the field must perform the tasks set before them at the maximum of their capabilities and show their best game. Everyone has already understood that to win in such a tournament, you need to go out and play bravely, with heart, with passion, and be ready for any moments.
