The head coach of “Alexandria,” Kyrylo Nesterенко, touched on the topic of the recent trip of the Serbian team “Partizan” to Moscow for the so-called “friendly” tournament ahead of the first match against Belgrade’s “Partizan” in the 2nd qualifying round of the Conference League.
Kyrylo Nesterенко“First of all, I want to remind everyone of the current situation in our country. I want to thank our defenders, thanks to whom our team has the ability to be here now and represent our country. People die every day in our country. The Russian Federation is the aggressor. And we do not support the actions of the football club “Partizan” regarding their participation in a friendly tournament in Russia. We consider this unfriendly towards our club. This is the position of the club and the people of Ukraine.
As for our opponent, the strength of the current “Partizan” lies in its youth and speed. At the same time, I only have respect for the head coach of this team (Srdjan Blagojevic, — ed. note). I know his style. We have met in the past, played against each other, and those matches were spectacular. The teams displayed an exciting, attacking style back then. Therefore, I believe that on Thursday the fans will be satisfied with the game that will be on the field.
Of course, I would like more time for preparation. Most of you know and understand that we have a young team, the lineup is being renewed, and more time is needed for mutual understanding on the field. But in training, I see how the players are approaching this. They already understand what the coaching staff wants from them. And I believe that by this match we are ready about 70-80%. And it should be understood that the final readiness is only gained in official matches.
This is a debut match. There is pressure, and it will be on both players and coaches throughout the game. But there is nothing extraordinary about it. I believe we have prepared quite well. I see what to expect from my team. Therefore, we approach the match with confidence in our abilities, and, most importantly, despite the pressure, the players will remain calm,” said Nesterенко at the pre-match press conference.
